Let's Give Them Something to Talk About
by sammie'sgirl
Summary: 1860s. Alice is a saloon girl who has given up on finding the higher road in life. Jasper is an engineer on the new railroad. When they meet one night, will they realize they have more in common then they could've ever imagined? First story. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them! **SM is one lucky woman. I only wish I could be as successful. (Ok, I only **_**wish**_** I owned the rights to Twilight and all of its glorious characters… Especially Jasper… Mmm…)**

**I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed on my first fanfic (and one-shot), ****Preacher's Daughter****. It wasn't perfect, I know, but it was my first one. The reviews for it, and the encouragement made me smile many times over (: THANK YOU!**

**It is a rated M fic, but the lemons will be in later chapters. After all, it is the 1860s! **

"Let's give them something to talk about babe  
A little mystery to figure out  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love?"  
_Something to Talk About _by Bonnie Raitt

**Jasper POV**

I groaned as I looked over the mountain of scattered plans on my desk. Maybe I was in over my head with the whole railroad business. I mean, just because my father was a prominent figure in our town didn't mean I had to take on matters bigger than I could handle. _Right?_

I ran my fingers through my hair. As of currently it was a blonde color, but I was fairly certain that by the time I had processed the awful amount of work expected from me, it would turn as gray as the old mare's mane.

The light reaching through my office windows had darkened in hue, casting my office into shades of dark orange and pink. I reached into my suit pocket and removed my gold plated pocket watch. I flipped it open and rubbed my forehead with my free hand when I saw the time: _half past eight_. Just as I'd closed and returned my watch to the confines of my pocket, there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I mumbled, not bothering to ask who it was. I had a set list of people who were allowed past the front entrance, so I knew there was no danger.

My friend Emmett poked his head around the door. "Jasper, come bend an elbow with me! Eddie's bar tending tonight, so we can get full as a tick, kick up a row, and not be thrown out! It's a golden opportunity!" He was nodding his head as if this was the greatest idea in the world. His brown eyes were shining with a type of mischief that I wasn't quite sure I wanted to engage in tonight.

"I'm not sure, Emmett," I sighed. "I have a lot of work to catch up on. The railroad isn't going to build itself, you know."

"And it ain't gonna be built any faster if you don't back down a little bit," Emmett said, stepping into my office. "Look, you're doing a bang-up job here, we can all see that, but you need to back down unless you wanna end up in a bone orchard." His grammar always seemed to get worse the more worked up he was.

But even I had to admit that Emmett had a point. The hours I was putting in sitting behind my desk drawing up plans hadn't made the track-layers work any faster. Nothing was on schedule anyway, so what was one little break going to affect? Surely I deserved at least one night to myself.

"Alright, Emmett," I settled. I watched his face light up, reflecting the grin that was already present in his eyes.

"Whoo! I knew you'd agree," Emmett smiled. "Better bring your spare aces 'cause ya know James is gonna have his poker game going and I'm sure a few of the older men will be playing some Three-Card-Monte."

"I have no need to bilk, Emmett," I scoffed at his idiocy. "Besides, I'm not betting. I'm in no position to lose money at this stage of the railroad's development." Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Pony up, boy! We're off!" It was my turn to roll my eyes at Emmett. He had a tendency to get a little over enthusiastic at times.

Emmett and I left my office and headed down the short hallway to the main entrance. I nodded to the guys in charge of my building's security before Emmett and I slipped out the front door.

Emmett's horse was tied to the outside post. The beautiful bay gelding was his pride and joy; he'd trained it himself. My dun gelding, Duke, was posted right next to him. I walked over to his side and patted his neck.

"Sorry to have kept you out here all day," I murmured, watching his ears turn towards my voice. He snorted and tossed his head, which showed me he was just anxious to get going. Staying in one place had never been one of his strong suits, but Duke was a good horse and would stay where you put him. "An earth tremor couldn't make his legs buckle," his trainer had told me. I untied his reins from the hitching post and put them behind his neck.

"Come on, Jasper! At the rate you're goin' we'll be lucky to get there a second before James packs up his cards!" Emmett called to me from atop his horse. I shook my head and pulled myself into the saddle, giving Duke a squeeze to his gut to make him go.

When Emmett and I reached the saloon, I knew immediately it was a bad idea to have come out here tonight. I saw the painted sign with the establishment's name and shook my head.

"Bull's Head, Emmett?" I asked, feeling my jaw drop in surprise. "Edward's working at _Bull's Head_?" I couldn't believe it. Bull's Head Saloon had a reputation, and not a good one at that. It had been the focal point of town rumors and duels between angry, drunk poker players since its opening.

"Sure," Emmett shrugged, halting his horse and dismounting. "Ever since his daughter came down with the consumption, he's been taking as many jobs as he can to pay for the medical bills. A disease like that ain't a cheap one to cure."

"But _here?_ Of all the places he could tend, he's taking work _here?_" I asked still a little put off. I dismounted and hitched Duke to an available post. Emmett watched me carefully as we walked into the saloon.

"He's going to make some pretty good money tonight, Jasper. It's going to be as hot as a whorehouse on Friday's nickel night," he smiled to himself.

"It _is_ Friday," I scowled, "and this _is_ practically a whorehouse."

"It's a _saloon_ with _entertainment_. Plus, not all of us were blessed with flourishing businesses. We can't all slave away, hurting our poor little hands, drawing up complicated track plans for the railroad," he said as we entered the saloon. The public area wasn't terribly huge with many candles used for lighting.

"Not all of us were asked whether or not we wanted to be blessed," I mumbled to myself. Emmett looked at me and shook his head. I knew to some people I must have seemed ungrateful. I wasn't ungrateful; the good Lord knew I prayed every night and thanked him for my job. It was just that sometimes I wished I wasn't so blessed. The responsibility that came with such a demanding occupation was sometimes overwhelming. But, then again I was thankful.

"Emmett!" The familiar voice of the ace-high, poker playing boss called from a table located over in a corner of the room.

"James," Emmett said, nodding his head in acknowledgement. I followed behind Emmett as he walked over to the table. Emmett sat down and took a seat alongside him.

"Come to lose another game or two?" James asked, an evil grin spreading across his face. His dirty blonde hair hung in a pony-tail behind his back, lying against the dirty blue flannel shirt he was wearing.

"Lose? Is that a bluff, or do you mean it for real play?" Emmett laughed at his own joke. James's grin spread wider.

"I don't bluff. Haven't a need too," James retorted. I rolled my eyes. Anyone with a lick of sense knew not to play against James. He was the worst chiseler known in these parts. "Jasper," he grinned at me now, "you in or out?"

"I'm going to go get us a couple of beers," I told Emmett, ignoring James's invite. Emmett nodded and as I walked away I heard him tell James to deal him in. That man would never learn.

As I approached the bar, I saw Edward, busy at work. He was pouring beers rapidly and passing them down along the counter top. His copper colored hair was in disarray, more so than usual.

"Hey, Edward," I called over the roar of the drunks sitting next to me. He looked up and smiled, handing me a fresh beer he had just poured. "Rough night?" He nodded slowly.

"You have no idea," he sighed. "And once the girls come on, it's just going to get worse." He shook his head, showing he didn't want to continue down that path of conversation anymore. "How are things coming along with your line of work?"

"Same old, same old. I draw up plans and it takes two to three months for the track layers to actually act on any of them. And that's the least time it usually takes them," I gave a faint smile. "But it's work, so what are you gonna do?" I threw in a shrug, lifting the mug of beer to my lips and taking a sip.

"Probably better than working here," Edward groaned, lifting up a sleeved arm to wipe the sweat forming on his brow.

"How's Renesme doing? Any word?" I asked. The look in Edward's eyes showed me all I needed to know before he spoke. My dad may be the town's doctor, but he never discussed the patients' personal matters with anyone. Therefore, I knew nothing about how my friend's daughter was faring.

"Carlisle says he doesn't think he's seen a worse case of the consumption and Isabella's worried sick. If she keeps this up, I'm going to have to pay two sets of medical bills," his face was solemn. I shook my head, taking another sip of my beer.

"I'm sorry, Edward. You know if there's anything I can do to help, let me know," I told him honestly. However, I knew my offer was not going to be accepted. Edward never took anything he knew he couldn't pay back.

"Thanks, but I'm making it okay. I'm two payments away from paying him off for the last visit. Even with his discount, it was still a lot of money that we don't exactly have. But, I'll probably make that tonight if enough comes in," he attempted a smile but behind his smile was a whole lot of worry.

"Here, Edward," I said as I pushed five dollars across the counter towards him. He gawked at it like it was some kind of foreign object.

"Jasper… I can't take this," he said, trying to push it back towards me. I just shook my head. "But, I can't take it, Jasper," he continued.

"Give me a beer for Emmett, don't charge me for this one, and we'll call it even, okay?" Edward nodded, taking the deal. He knew the five dollars was still way more than the two beers, but he consented. We were both stubborn as a pack of mules and I guess that's why we were such good friends.

A "Yee-Haw!" sounded from behind me. I turned around and saw five girls standing on the raised platform in the middle of the saloon; their skirts were hiked up as they started to dance, twirling and sashaying. Whistles and rude comments flew from the drunks around me. I did my best to ignore it, but the gentleman in me wanted to hurt these men. It was so degrading to those women.

"Here's the beer for Emmett," Edward said. I turned back around and thanked him. He shook his head, unyielding. "No, Jasper, thank _you_." I smiled and gave him a little wave before making my way back to the table.

**Alice POV**

"Come on, Alice! Open up!" My sister Rosalie called, banging on the door to our room, which I had successfully blocked her out of. I screamed into a pillow I had clutched to my face. "ALICE!" She pounded on the door.

"Go away, Rose!" I shouted into the dark of our room. I was done. I was _finished_. There was no way I was going to dance tonight. I'd just run away… I could do it this time, I knew I could.

"Alice, I'm giving you three seconds!" Rose screamed, "Three seconds Alice, or I'm busting this door down!" I groaned, rolling over on the small cot I called a bed. _Three… Two… One…._ Our door swung open with a loud crack as it hit the wall. _So much for my successful barricade_, I groaned inwardly. "Alice, get up! We've got two minutes until show time!" Rose walked over to my bed, her heels clicking on the wood floors.

"I'm not going, Rose. I'm sick of dancing. That's all we do is dance! I'm destined for bigger things! I just _know_ it!" I heard Rosalie groan.

"Yes, I _know_ Alice. We're all meant for more and blah, blah, blah. But let me tell you something! What we have here is the closest thing we've got to a job. We're never going to be able to be taken seriously with our backgrounds. Face it, this _is_ it. There is no higher road for us."

"There is! There has to be!" I cried. I felt the bed sink down next to me. Rose reached out a hand to brush some of my hair back.

"It never hurts to dream, but dreams aren't reality for us. This is what we're made for," Rosalie said, her hand brushing along my cheek now. "And we really do have to get out there. The boss is going to get upset." I inhaled deeply, trying not to think of that sick excuse for a man.

"Is there anybody out there for me?" I asked into the dark of our room. It was a random question, but I needed an answer. I needed to know that I could be something more than a late night saloon dancer. I could practically feel Rosalie grinning before she answered my question.

"There's someone for everyone, even simple saloon girls like us," she said, moving her hand back to my hair. "You know that guy, Emmett? He's friends with the bartender tonight, Edward?" I nodded, knowing she could feel the movement. "Well, I think he's beating around the bush, but I can tell we've got something…. I don't know what yet, but there is something. Ever since that show a few weeks ago…."

I sat up suddenly, the fabric of my dress crinkling under me. "Rosalie Hale! Do not tell me you are thinking of going steady with Emmett McCarthy!" I heard the fabric of her dress move and knew she had shrugged her shoulders.

"If I can get the boss to let me," she said. "I know it's a stretch, but he's seen us together before, so maybe it won't be so-"

"Rosalie, Alice! We have to go on!" Victoria, one of the other dancers, called from the door.

"Let's go," Rose said, pulling me up and off the bed. I groaned but followed her out anyway.

We met up with the other three dancers, Jessica, Lauren, and Victoria. They weren't exactly what I'd call homey people. Rosalie and I had had some issue with each of them during our employment. I looked around and took in our outfits. _Typical_, I thought to myself.

My dress was emerald in color with a deep scoop neck across my chest. The bodice was tight; corset lacing tied it in the back. My skirt was fluffy and flowed to my ankles. I had black detailing around the edge of my dress. My short, almost black in color hair was pulled back from my face with a hairpiece that had a black feather sticking out from the top. I wore the typical black heeled shoes that every other girl was wearing.

Rosalie's dress was far prettier; at least that's what _I_thought. Her dress was a ruby red with the corset in the front. It had black feathers stitched to the seams and her skirt had a long slit in it which accented her long legs. Her beautiful blonde hair had taken hours to curl last night, but it turned out lovely, framing her face in little ringlets. She had a hairpiece too, except it was a bright red feather.

The other three girls were wearing dresses similar in style. Victoria's was a striking gold, Lauren's was a dark blue, and Jessica's was a light purple. Not exactly the best color scheme, but with a man in charge, you couldn't expect much.

We all walked up onto the ridiculous excuse for a stage and Rose let out a great, "Yee-Haw!" to kick start our performance. The piano music started playing and we danced our number. Our multi-colored skirts flew around us as we did our usual routine. I tried my best to ignore the catcalls and whistles from the half drunken regulars. We did two numbers, and an encore, earning a deafening applause from the crowded room.

When everything was over, we climbed off the stage. Lauren, Victoria, and Jessica ran off to find some poor, disoriented customer in hope of getting some tips. Rose spotted Emmett and left to go talk to him. I was alone, in a saloon full of drunken men.

"Hey, Darlin', great show." I flinched as my boss's hands wrapped around my waist from behind me. "I'd love to see an encore. Maybe you'd give me a private showing later t'night?" He whispered into my ear, trailing a dirty finger up the length of my neck. I shuddered, disgusted.

"No," I said defiantly. I'd never given him a private encore and I never would. If it was one thing this job hadn't taken from me, it was my dignity. I was still a lady somewhere underneath this revealing dress and corset.

"_Excuse_you? How dare ya talk to me like that?" He spun me around, his eyes burning with anger. His whole appearance disgusted me. From his long, dirty blonde hair to his hardly ever washed clothes. He was no more than a bunko artist. His grip on my wrist was bone crunching and I tried to wiggle out of it.

"Let me go, James!" I cried, trying to wrench my wrist from his hand again.

"Hell no, Alice. You belong to me! When ya signed that contract, ya signed over yourself," he smirked. "Which means if I want an encore, you are goin' to give me an encore."

"No!" I cried, trying to back away from him now.

"I don't believe that's anyway to be treating a lady," I heard someone say before James was whipped around, his back now facing me, and his grip on my wrist released.

"She belongs to me, I can do whatever the hell I want to do to her," James said to the stranger.

"Oh, you've got some game, haven't you, James? You think you just own everything, don't you?" The stranger continued. I stood in shock, watching as Emmett, the guy Rose was infatuated with walked up next to James.

"I suggest you make yourself scarce before we have ourselves a difficulty on our hands," he grumbled. James took a step back, bumping into me.

"She's _mine_; she's a dancer under _my_ company!" James continued. "I have a contract!" He yelled loud enough to be heard the next town over.

"You can take your contract and use it as fertilizer. You and your contract are both slimy pieces of shit," I heard Emmett grumble.

"Just go before we have to make you go," the stranger growled. James turned to look at me and I'd never seen such a mixture of emotions. On the one hand he looked scared; on the other hand he looked enraged. I knew this was far from over. I watched James walk away, back to a corner of the bar.

"Are you okay, Miss?" I turned to face the stranger. My eyes did a double take. I'd seen him before, with Carlisle Cullen, the town doctor. He had wild locks of honey blonde hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes I had ever seen. He was dressed far too formal for a saloon; gray slacks, a white dress shirt, and a charcoal vest with a gold pocket watch chain peeking out from the pocket. Not to mention his shiny black shoes. I glanced down at my dress, embarrassed again.

"Yes, thank you," I said after finally finding my voice, not daring to look back up at the man.

"Oh, Alice! Are you okay?" Rosalie ran up to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a tight hug. I smiled at my overly concerned sister.

"I'm fine, Rosalie. Emmett," I gestured to Emmett who looked surprised that I knew who he was, "and, uh, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." I said to the stranger who had rescued me from my poor excuse for a boss.

"Jasper Whitlock, ma'am," he said politely, giving me a slight bow. I felt my cheeks flush a little.

"And Mr. Whitlock," I continued, "got to James before he could do any real harm. I'm fine, Rose, really." I threw in a convincing pat on her arm.

"Thank you guys," Rosalie said, glancing at Jasper before returning her gaze to Emmett. "You have no idea how hard it is to be girls like us."

I grimaced as she said the last part. _Girls like us_, I thought. We were basically the social outcasts. We couldn't go to the market without being stared at by men and women alike. Men gave us flirty, dirty looks, while women just scowled at us. We had gotten many a lecture from the older women of the town. They viewed us as a form of corruption.

But it wasn't like I could help my situation. The other women always made it sound so simple: Get married, have a couple of children, live a long, happy life with your husband. But my life was far from being that perfect.

Rosalie and I had hardly any choice in the matter of our fate. Our parents, whom we never talked about (even between ourselves), had sold us to James when we had come of age. He had paid them a nice sum apparently because they were able to afford to get away from here.

"Well, it shouldn't matter what kind of ladies you are," Mr. Whitlock said. "It still isn't right to be treating any woman that way. I can guarantee you there will be retribution." I looked at him, sure that my shocked expression was very fitting of a 'lady'.

"No, sir, I couldn't possibly-"

Emmett cut me off, "James is between hay and grass. I'm positive mentally, but I'm pretty damn sure physically too!" Rose and I exchanged a wide eyed glance.

"Emmett," Mr. Whitlock hissed, "you shouldn't cuss in front of women."

"Aw bosh," Emmett said. "I'm sure they've heard worse. Right, ladies?" He flashed a wide grin at Rosalie. I watched in astonishment as her cheeks ignited. Rosalie _never_ blushed.

"Sure, being around James is way worse than the occasional curse word from any man at this place," she said, smiling back. I glanced at Jasper and saw him scowling. The sight was so menacing, yet it was so _entrancing_ at the same time. I wondered how one man could wield this kind of power.

"Rose, I'm tired," I told her. I wasn't lying, she could see this. Today had been an emotionally draining day. My breakdown earlier, the show, the thing with James, and now these new emotions bubbling inside me towards Mr. Whitlock, the stranger turned acquaintance, who had literally rescued me from the filthy clutches of my boss. "I think I'm going to head back now."

"I'll be in later, but I'll be there," she said, smiling at me. I nodded and started to walk away from the group.

"Wait!" I heard Mr. Whitlock call after me. I turned around to face him. "May I escort you home?"

I was stuck. I _really_ hated to part from him, but I didn't want him to see the confined little room Rosalie and I called _home_. I lowered my eyes and shook my head slowly.

"I-I can't accept," I said softly. I looked up for a second as saw this questioning worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry." I turned and took off; hoping the crowd of people hid me from his sight as I ran towards the back of the saloon.

**So… thoughts would be nice… Reviews would be appreciated… I've okayed anonymous reviews, so you don't have to sign in (but if you want a reply back, sign in!)**

**Here are some of the slang terms in this chapter that you might not be familiar with:**

**(In the order they appear in)**

As gray as the old mare's mane: Taken from the child song "The Old Gray Mare", a simile

Bend and elbow: have a drink

As full as a tick: drunk

Kick up a row: stir up trouble

Back down: relax

Bang-up job: great job

Bone orchard: cemetery

Bilk: cheat

Pony up: Hurry

Consumption: Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Hot as a whorehouse on nickel night: busy

Ace-high: important, well known

Is that a bluff, or do you mean it for real play: are you serious

Lick of sense: tiniest bit of knowledge

Chiseler: cheater

Stubborn as a pack of mules: extremely stubborn

Bunko artist: con man

Got game: have nerve

Difficulty: bad situation, usually including the use of guns closure

Between hay and grass: not a boy, not a man

Bosh: nonsense

**THANKS FOR READING CHAPTER 1!**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	2. Treat Her Like A Lady

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** in any way, shape, or form **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed on the first chapter! deltagirl74 for reviewing on **_**both**_** of my stories, christiebrandon for her words of encouragement, and KathyHalliwell for her kind words as well. The reviews made me smile (: **

**I also wanted to thank everyone who favorited and/or added ****Let's Give them Something to Talk About ****to their alerts. I love checking my inbox and seeing all these e-mails from Fanfiction!**

**This chapter is for 93DarkRose. Happy Birthday!**

"Now I'm the kinda guy who don't believe  
That chivalry is dead, no  
'Cause I believe a woman should be treated  
With the utmost respect, mmhmm."  
_Treat Her Like A Lady_ by The Temptations

"And I told them to treat her like a lady  
(You got to, got to treat her like)  
Um-hum all the best you can do  
(Treat her like, you got to, got to treat her like)  
You got to treat her like a lady, she'll give into you."  
_Treat Her Like A Lady _by Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose

**Jasper POV**

I watched her as she ran through the saloon, her skirt swaying behind her. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something about this girl, something about this _Alice_. I could tell there was more to her and that the role she played at the saloon tonight wasn't even skin deep. She was _different_.

I debated with myself whether or not I should have followed her. I knew it wasn't gentlemanly to pursue a lady when she had clearly denied my offer to escort her home. But, I felt a strange need to protect her and I really hated that I couldn't see where she had gone off to.

When the other girl, Rosalie, had mentioned in passing how bad being with James was, it made me loathe him even more, if that was possible. My hate for the man had already been strong long before he pulled that stunt with Alice. The image of his hands around her waist as he pressed into her from behind replayed in my mind and angered me to a point where it was starting to become preposterous.

"Jasper."

A hand landed on my shoulder. I knew without turning around it was James, the object of my loathing at the moment. I turned around and stared hard at him, not bothering to even act cordial.

"James," I retorted, eyeing him down. He was at least two inches shorter than me, so it wasn't hard to be intimidating.

"I'm not goin' to beat around the bush," he said, squaring his shoulders to try to level out the playing field, "if you _ever _pull a stunt like that again, I can guarantee you, there will be a problem."

"What a coincidence, James," I smirked. "I was going to say the exact same thing." I saw him freeze momentarily before trying to get back into the game I knew I was wining.

"Don't test me, Jasper." James growled menacingly, "Just because you're some flannel-mouthed, big bug on the railroad don't mean you're any better 'n I am."

"No, you're right," I said, watching his eyes light up. He smiled, thinking he had won our disagreement. "My status doesn't mean I'm better than you, but my manners sure show a _huge _difference. Now, if you'll excuse me," I finished my statement and started walking past him. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around, throwing a punch to my face. I heard chairs scrape across the floor and gasps from the observers.

I recovered from the shock fairly quickly and slung a punch at him, hitting him squarely under the jaw. He stumbled backward but found his footing before he fell. He charged me, but I grabbed his hands in a lock and twisted them behind his back. He screamed out in pain as I tossed him to my right.

He crashed into the bar, knocking his head against the wood. I watched, breathing hard, as he regained consciousness. The daze he had seemed to be induced in wasn't more than a minor setback.

He stood back up and walked towards me. He lifted his fist and threw a punch that I easily dodged. I ducked down and grabbed a chair, throwing it at him and knocking him off his feet. The chair landed on top of him; he was pinned under it.

James moved out from underneath the chair, his nose was dripping blood onto his shirt. He sniffed and rubbed his arm under his nose. Charging me again, he slipped, his feet crumpling beneath him. I tried to move away but I wasn't fast enough. He grabbed onto my ankles, pulling me down. I hit my head against the floor; the throbbing pain shooting through my skull was almost too much.

I registered the fact that James was crawling on top of me, trying to get some punches in. I quickly rolled over and started to pummel his face with both of my fists.

"Jasper!" Emmett yelled, pulling me up off of James. Another guy, some nameless townsperson, pulled James up and held him steady. "God damn! You guys went after each other like Kilkenny cats! What the hell got into you?"

I shook my head, and immediately regretted it; the throbbing pain had strengthened. I was also not completely sure why I had shaken my head. Did I shake my head because I didn't want to talk? Did I shake my head because I wasn't quite oriented yet? I didn't know. I _did_ know the reason we had fought, though. That much should've been obvious, even to someone like Emmett who could be completely oblivious sometimes.

"Oh my Lord! Are you okay?" Rosalie, Alice's friend, ran up to me. "You're bleeding," she said softly, her eyes worriedly dashing from my face to the back of my head. I reached a steady hand up and touched the back of my neck, retracting it when I felt the slick liquid. I reached my other hand up to my face and realized that James had made my nose bleed, too.

"I'll be alright," I mumbled, wiping my hands on my vest. She gave me one more look before shaking her head slowly.

"Thanks a lot you ungrateful whore!" James shouted at Rosalie, noticing that she seemed only concerned with me. I felt Emmett stiffen behind me; his grip on my shoulders was suddenly a lot tighter. I saw Rosalie close her eyes tightly. She turned on her heels and ran through the standing crowd of spectators.

"God damn, I swear," Emmett mumbled under his breath, "if I wasn't trying to prevent another fight, I'd rip that four-flusher's head off." _Hmm… Emmett and I definitely need to have a talk soon_, I thought to myself.

**Alice POV**

I rushed into my room, ripping my hairpiece off of my head and throwing it somewhere to the side. I ran the few steps to my cot and collapsed, crying into my pillow. _Today couldn't get _any_ worse_, I thought to myself as sobs seized my body.

I felt my temples start pounding and I knew I was close to getting a major headache. I was thankful for the dark of the room.

I continued to cry for what seemed like countless days, when in reality, I had only cried for a few minutes at the most. I turned onto my back, clutching my pillow to my chest. I stared up at the ceiling and thought to myself.

Maybe Rosalie was right; this job provided us with everything. We had shelter, granted it wasn't anything fancy; it was just one room the two of us shared with two cots and musty smelling pillows. But it had a roof, and candles for lighting. The cots were definitely better than sleeping on the floor.

We also got new dresses almost every week, something some of the girls in town would kill for. Granted, they weren't dresses we could wear anywhere but work, but they were still _new_. We also got new shoes almost every month, another thing most girls would kill for. Granted, the first night we would wear them, we'd get blisters, but still, _new shoes!_

We had everything that was necessary. Food and water were included with the dresses and shoes, so I guess in certain ways we were better off than some. But there was still something that unnerved me about this job.

Even with all the added perks, it wasn't a very respectable position. We got the dresses and shoes, sure, but what had we lost? We lost our social status, we lost our friends, and some of us- Victoria, Jessica, and Lauren- had lost our dignities.

I heard scuffling coming from the saloon. That was another downfall to working here. The walls were paper thin. I hadn't checked, but I was sure the wall had gained a nice hole after Rosalie had slammed the door into it. But, under James's rule, we couldn't live anywhere but the backrooms of the saloon.

The scuffling grew louder and I groaned. "Stupid drunken male customers," I complained, "don't know when to say enough is enough."

I attempted to close my eyes to block out the sound, but it just grew louder. There was a bang and some gasps, I could clearly distinguish these sounds. Someone had hit the bar and the stupid observers, instead of jumping in to stop the riot, were enthralled when the poor idiot collided with the bar. After being here for all of your teenage and some of your adult life, you learned a thing or two about noises from the saloon.

There was a lot more scuffling before everything stopped. _Thank God,_ I thought. There were only two things that could've happened. _A:_ Someone broke up the fight or _B: _One of the participants died. Option _B_ was actually fairly common at Bull's Head. We'd had more casualties from fights than the mill had from machinery accidents.

I heard the distinctive clicking of heels running down the hall. Rosalie ran into our room and started frantically searching. She found one of our matches on our small table and lit it, casting the room into a warm glow. She reached for the lantern hanging on the wall and used the match to light it. It brightened up the room immediately.

"Alice, where are the rags?" She asked, setting the lantern on the table and searching under her bed. I rolled my eyes.

"Let James clean the mess up," I said. "He doesn't do anything else around here." She glanced up at me from her kneeling position on the floor.

"_James_ is one of the guys that got hurt," she said. I glanced at her, hardly believing my ears. _James got hurt? He actually fought someone who had the guts to hit him back? _"Come on, Alice! I need those rags!" I looked at her in the glow from the lantern and realized her eyes were slightly red.

"Rose, have you been crying?" I asked, curiously. What had happened from the time I left the saloon until now? First James got into a fight with a guy that actually had the guts to retaliate, and now Rosalie, _The Steel Rose_, was _crying?_

"No," she said, but I could see straight through her façade. She was lying to me now? Oh, that's _great!_ I got down on the floor and looked her square in the eyes.

"What happened?" I asked, concerned for my sister. She was my rock, and if she broke down, there was no way I'd survive. We'd seen and been through too much together.

"James just called me a whore," she whispered quietly. I gasped. Even for James that was a little uncalled for. Rosalie was one of his favorite girls; he'd never lash out at her…. Unless something really ticked him off.

"What happened?" I asked as we continued the search for our spare rags. She took a deep breath. I noticed that her breathing was very unstable, and this made me worry even more.

"Well, a fight broke out. It got pretty nasty. James got thrown against the bar and both guys actually went down and were fighting each other on the floor. Emmett and Mr. Duncan broke up the fight. I didn't check on James first, and he got mad. That's when he called me a whore," she said. "Ah ha! Found them!" She proceeded to pull out a box of rags and took a couple handfuls.

I got a sick feeling listening to her story. There was more she wasn't telling me. There was a very important detail she had left out the whole time.

"Rose… Do you know the guy who got into the fight with James?" I asked, watching her curiously. She nodded her head slowly. "Rose, what was the guy's name?" She gave me a weird look and pressed her lips together. "Ro-sa-lee," I drug her name out, "_what was the guy's name?_"

"Alice, you can't get mad, or upset, or overly worried," she started. I knew immediately my bad feeling was right on the mark. I got up off the floor and ran out into the hall.

I all but flew into the saloon, taking in the scene around me. Everyone was talking about the fight. Chairs were overturned, small puddles of blood were on the floor, and sitting there at a corner table was Mr. Whitlock.

I took in the sight before I approached, making sure I wouldn't lose my bearings. He had taken off his vest, and that alone was enough to make me lose my mind. His dress shirt was very fitting, showing off his lean form and muscles.

But it was what he was doing with the vest that had the greatest effect on me. He was using it to dab blood off of his face and the back of his neck. I felt my heart plummet into my stomach at the sight. Emmett was sitting there with him, nursing a foamy beer.

I heard Rosalie approach. She stopped next to me and placed a few rags in my limp hands. She had to close my hands around the cloths because I was still too stunned to do anything.

"Some of those had better be for me, you worthless, good-for-nothin' whores," I heard James call from across the saloon. I wasn't going to lie, the words he used to describe us stung. I saw Rosalie stiffen next to me, affected by the words just like I was.

Mr. Whitlock spun around in his chair and saw us. He looked awful. His nose was bleeding, and I could tell he'd have a dark circle over his eye in the morning. I noticed, however, that he was attempting a smile. The half-smile he was able to conjure up made my heart jump around in my chest.

"Hey! I was talkin' to you!" James yelled. I reluctantly tore my gaze from Mr. Whitlock and turned to the direction his voice was coming from. I practically beamed when I saw that James had sustained more injuries than Mr. Whitlock.

"Rose," I said her name and she nodded. She understood me better than anyone else. I watched as she walked towards James with the rest of the rags.

I took a deep breath and made my way over to where Mr. Whitlock and Emmett were sitting. As I approached the table, I realized that Mr. Whitlock had gotten most of his injuries taken care of with his vest.

"Uhm, Mr. Whitlock? I have some rags you can use to clean yourself up," I said, handing him a few of the rags. He smiled, picking one of them up and wiping his face off immediately.

"Thank you," he said. "You know you can call me Jasper, Miss Alice." I flushed. I couldn't imagine being on a first name basis with someone as important as he was. That would be like a trapper talking to Mr. President Lincoln.

"I- I can't," I stumbled. I saw Emmett in my peripheral vision watching us with inquisitive brown eyes over the rim of his beer glass. His raised eyebrows were almost touching the hairline of his short brown hair.

"You can't?" Jasper asked, his eyebrows rose in the same fashion as Emmett's. I shook my head and glanced down, fumbling with the bodice of my dress. "May I ask why you can't call me by my first name?" I swallowed nervously and glanced up, my eyes meeting his.

"It wouldn't be proper," I said simply, watching as he nodded slowly.

"But I've given you my permission, ma'am," he said, looking at me intently, waiting for my reaction. I shook my head.

"I still can't. I just _can't_," I sighed, twisting my hands in front on me.

"Stop, Miss Alice," Mr. Whitlock said, reaching a hand out and placing it on top of mine; they stopped fumbling. "It's making _me_ nervous," he chuckled. I took a deep breath and pulled my hands to my sides. "Now tell me the truth. You _can _call me by my first name, but there's something stopping you. What is it?"

"I already told you it wouldn't be proper!" I raised my voice, slapping my hand on the table top. "You think with your '_ma'am'-_ing and your '_Miss Alice_'-ing that you're any different than any of the other men in this saloon? You're just as bad as they are coming here!" I ranted; I was on the verge of tears. "I already told you it wasn't proper, but you think with your fancy ways you can change society rules. Maybe that's how you were raised, thinking you could have anything and anyone you wanted. But that wasn't the way _I_ was raised. Just because I'm some saloon girl doesn't mean that the first smooth talking guy that walks in here is my ticket for a good tip. I've got plenty of other things I could be doing!" I took a deep, shuddery breath and stormed away from the table.

I pushed through the crowd of drunken men on my way back to my room. _And_ _I thought I was tired _before_ all of that_, I shook my head at my thoughts.

"Alice!" I heard Rosalie call my name. I spun around and saw her fight her way through the crowd of men. She ran up to me once she had gotten past them. "Oh my Lord! What _was_ that? I heard you yelling and then I saw you run away. _What happened?_"

"Mr. Whitlock thinks I'm some girl who can be bought with fancy words and all his 'Call me Jasper', 'treat her like a lady should be treated' act. I'm not doing this again, Rosalie. I'm running away, tonight. I'm done." I felt the tears prickle behind my eyes. I sniffed and ran my arm underneath my nose.

Rose shook her head. "I don't think Mr. Whitlock is like that. You should've seen his face as he watched you run away," she said. "He looked hurt, Alice, and very upset. He tried to get out of his seat to go after you, but Emmett held him down and told him not to. That's why _I _ran after you. Alice, I swear, he's not the type of guy we usually see in here. There's a reason he came here tonight, I'm sure. There's a reason he rescued you from James, and a reason he got into a fight with him, too! I'm sure there's a reason he asked you to call him by his first name…." She trailed off. I shook my head.

"I have an answer for all of those, Rose," I growled. She looked at me questioningly; I continued. "He came here tonight to get what every other man comes here for. He '_rescued_' me from James and threw in that fight so that I'd fall for his big hero act. And, here's the best part, Rose," I grinned, "the reason he wanted me to call him by his first name is so he could be satisfied when he got what he thought his tip would pay for. But that's not happening, now or ever!" I turned back around and pushed open the door that led to the hallway our room was located in.

"Alice, you are ridiculous!" Rose called after me, but I was far too tired to stay and listen to her reasoning.

I all but ran down the long hallway to our room. I rushed to my bed, said a quick prayer to Our Lord and Savior, asking him to please protect Rosalie and me, show our parents (wherever they were) the light, and tonight I asked him to please show Mr. Whitlock the right way to treat a 'lady', because apparently he was lost.

**So… chapter 2 is done. Sorry if you got two alerts. My computer had a problem and decided to upload the chapter BEFORE I previewed it and I found a problem that was too big to ignore...**

**Thoughts would be nice (: I need some cheering up so give me some love, lol. **

**Oh, the bar fight. What would a saloon be without a couple of punches, huh?**

**Uhm, hmm… There weren't a lot of slang words this chapter, but I'll list the ones in here:**

**(In the order they appeared)**

Flannel mouth: Smooth talker  
Big Bug: Important person

Went After Each Other Like Kilkenny Cats: Fought like Hell

Four-Flusher: A cheater, swindler, or liar

**Again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY 93DARKROSE! Hope it's a good one!**

**Next update will be Saturday, July 31. Updates will continue on Saturdays. **

**Thanks for reading chapter 2!**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	3. To Be With You

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** in any way, shape, or form **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**I wanted to thank everyone again who reviewed on chapter 2! You made me smile (: **

**To Mooch66, thank you so much for all of the ideas! Yes, I have quite a few ideas of my own, but yours are very creative and I thank you for your input. I hope I haven't wandered into a modern way of thinking; I've really tried not to. My cousin is a history teacher and I've had him on stand-by for questions… I hope by "decently written" you mean you like it, but one can only hope. **

**And to all the people putting me on alert and everything, thank you so much! I don't want to sound greedy, but could you leave a review? Even one word would be okay, I'd just like to know what you're thinking! I have enabled anonymous reviews so you don't even have to long in, you know… Sorry if I'm being a bit bitchy…**

**A Friday update will not be typical. I just found out that I'm leaving for vacation, so I decided to update because the Lord knows when I'll be able to get back on my laptop even though it's making the journey with me! **

"Build up your confidence  
So you can be on top for once  
Wake up who cares about  
Little boys who talk too much  
I've seen it all go down  
Your game of love was all rained out  
So come on baby  
Come on over  
Let me be the one to hold you  
I'm the one who wants to be with you  
Deep inside I hope you feel it too  
Waited on a line of greens and blues  
Just to be the next to be with you."  
_To Be With You_ by Mr. Big

**Jasper POV**

I sat at my desk, hunched over a new plan for the railroad. I furiously scribbled notes and drew images on the map sprawled across my desk. It was afternoon, I knew that much. I could feel my stomach starting its protest because I hadn't eaten any breakfast. My office was unusually warm for a day in April.

My right eye was throbbing, and I knew why. This morning when I had looked into my mirror I noticed a nice bruise had formed around it. The image of it in the mirror that had stayed in my mind and the constant throbbing were reminders of what had happened last night at Bull's Head Saloon.

The highlight of the evening definitely had to be meeting Alice. I couldn't get her out of my mind for anything in the world. The fight with James and the black eye hurt way less than Alice thinking I was only after her for a good time.

_Who could really blame her though?_ I thought, reclining and looking up at my ceiling. _She probably _did_ think I was only there for a good time. After all, that's what every other guy there was most likely after. _

I smiled thinking about the way she stood up to me. That lady was one feisty being, I could tell you that. The way she stood up to me was shocking. She had said that being on a first name basis was improper, but I was pretty sure that society frowned upon yelling at a higher authority, too.

But _I_ didn't mind, quite the opposite actually. I found it entrancing and interesting that before her stand up, I hadn't really been yelled at. I knew there was something special about her. I just _knew_ it.

A knock on my office door threw me out of my nostalgia. I quickly hunched myself back over my plans, trying to act busy, and trying to hide my new eye color. "Come in!" I called casually.

I heard the door open and the visitor enter. The footsteps belonged to only one man I knew, my father. _Keep your head down, you'll be fine,_ I told myself.

"Hello, son," he said casually. I watched him take a seat from my hunched position. "Busy working, huh? I'm glad that at least that trait could be passed down. You're doing a really good job with everything, you know."

"Yes, father, I know," I said, running my pen across my plans, pretending to be busy working.

"I heard some talk in town," he said casually.

"What kind of talk, father?" I asked, trying to keep him at an arm's length without him knowing. He could not find out about my black eye. He'd get very, _very_ mad.

"I was at the post office today and I was talking to Mr. Duncan. He told me there was a little fuss down at Bull's Head Saloon. He said it was two guys going after each others' throats like there was no tomorrow," he explained the story he'd head. I stiffened and knew immediately he noticed the action. "Jasper, look at me."

"Kind of busy at the moment, father," I said, writing furiously. "Very crucial planning point here," I continued. _Please, just let this one go!_ I silently begged him.

"Jasper," he said my name with a tone I had feared since my childhood; it meant business, "look at me." I took a deep breath and raised my face to look him in the eyes.

My father wasn't actually my biological father. Carlisle Cullen, the town's local doctor, and his wife, Esme, had basically adopted me when both of my parents had passed away.

Carlisle had light blonde hair and his blue eyes were just like mine. Those similarities confused some people who didn't know about my past. Esme had a light brown hair color. She had beautiful hazel eyes to compliment it, too. Both of them were some of the kindest people on earth, and I was blessed to be able to call them my parents.

I saw my father's face drop as he looked at me. "Father, I know this looks bad, but let me explain-"

"Your mother is going to have a fit!" He _laughed_, surprising me. "Good Lord, what happened to you? Don't tell me Duke kicked you! I've told you time and time again to call a Farrier-"

"Duke didn't kick me," I laughed now. "And you know he's sensitive with his hooves. Anyway, no, it wasn't Duke…." I ran my fingers through my hair. He shook his head.

"I _know_ it wasn't the horse, Jasper," he said, his look hardening. "Be serious now. I heard what happened down at Bull's Head. I know you are one in the guilty party. So, you've got some explaining to do; I suggest you start now."

"Okay, well, Emmett came over to see me last night. He wanted me to join him for a couple of beers, I went. I _did not_ know that we were going to Bull's Head until _after_ we were there. Well I went in with him and things happened. I got into a fight with James Gigandet over this thing, but it doesn't matter now." I flinched playing down the fight and naming Alice as just a _thing_.

"You are a terrible liar, son," he said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Why don't you just tell me what _really _happened."

"James owns a certain dance group," I said, trying to put it mildly, but the thought of James and his nasty contracts over the girls angered me and I knew my anger was evident in my voice.

"James has authority over a few saloon girls," my father interrupted. I stared at him, hardly believing he knew about this. But, then again, it _was _my dad. "Oh, don't gawk at me like that, Jasper. I was young once."

"But-"

"How'd I know?" He asked. I nodded dumbly. "One of the dancers sprained her ankle a few years back," he shrugged like it was no big deal. "I treated her and that's how I figured out about James and his, uhm, way of living, to put it eloquently."

"Who did you see?" I shook my head at my question, knowing it needed to be rephrased. "What was your patient's name?"

"Jasper, you know I don't discuss the patient's private matters outside of the office," he said sternly, watching me with inquisitive eyes.

"We are in an office," I told him, quite seriously I might add. "I _need _to know. Please, father. I'm _begging_." He chuckled at me.

"I treated a Miss Rosalie Hale. Satisfied?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I suppose," I said, running my fingers through my hair again. My father stood up quickly.

"I'm sorry, I have to get going. I didn't plan on us meeting up like this and it ending so abruptly, but I promised to check on little Renesme Masen." I could see the hurt in his eyes as well as hear it in his voice as he spoke of Edward's daughter. I knew without asking confirmation that she was not faring well.

"That's okay, father," I said, reaching under my desk for something. "Can you take this to mother?" I threw my vest from last night at him. He reached out and caught it while it was in mid-air.

"She's not going to be very pleased with this, you know," he laughed, balling up the vest. I nodded my head.

"Yes, I know," I smiled. "I'll stop by for dinner soon and make it up to her." My father nodded, agreeing silently with my idea as he slipped out of my office.

I knew that I really had to play up the 'good-child' role for my mother, so it was off to the general store for a few things.

**Alice POV**

After a terribly restless night, I had woken up tired and sore. I had been far too spent to make good on my threat to run away last night. Rosalie was still fast asleep on her cot. I was not sure what time she'd left the company of Emmett last night, but if she was still asleep now, it had been a late.

I rolled out of bed, not exactly intending on spending the whole day behind the scenes at the saloon. I checked our dresser and pulled out my one simple dress. It was a white cotton dress, light weight, and _very _plain. It was the only outfit I had available for outings.

Slipping into it, I ran a brush through my hair, trying to make it look decent. My short hair was unevenly layered. It was a horrible style and completely 'corrupt' as some of the elders had put it.

After I was somewhat presentable (my appearance, not my social status), I slipped on my every day before-work shoes. I left the room and headed out of the saloon quietly so as not to disturb anyone.

The afternoon was unusually calm for our typically busy town. I smiled, happy to see that the amount of stares I'd be getting today would be low. I walked down the street and saw that Mr. Olson's store was open. I smiled and headed in, hearing the bells clang against the door.

"Hello, Alice!" Mr. Olson called. I smiled and waved. The short, pudgy, balding man was one of the few people who didn't treat us like good-for-nothing saloon girls. He was always very pleasant whenever Rose or I did business in his establishment. And not the kind of pleasant that some of the guys in the saloon used to get us for the evening.

I saw some new cloth and immediately headed over to it. Plaids, plains, stripes (diagonal, horizontal, and vertical), flannels, and many others were on display. I gingerly touched a bolt of soft blue velour, wishing for once I'd have enough money to pay for something so nice.

I heard the bells on the door chime and the murmured voices of Mr. Olson and his new customer. I went back to the cloth and decided that if I asked Mr. Olson how much maybe one-fourth of a bolt was, I'd pay for it.

I walked up to Mr. Olson, who was standing behind his register. I smiled and he smiled back.

"Can I help you, Alice?" He asked, being his normal, jolly self.

"I was wondering how much a fourth of that bolt of blue velour would be. Could you help me?" I smiled when he nodded.

He went straight back to where the bolt of cloth was. As I waited for him to return, I gazed over at the jars of sweets behind the counter. So many things Rosalie and I hardly ever got to experience were sitting on those shelves behind the register.

"Here we go, Alice," Mr. Olson smiled, returning with the material. I beamed all until he rang up the amount. I didn't even have half that much.

"Prices sure went up, didn't they?" I gasped, gripping the counter as I stared at Mr. Olson.

"Yes, but so did the manufacturing prices, Alice. You know I wouldn't cheat you, but I can't make a living if the big company's prices rise and I keep mine the same," Mr. Olson said. "Do you want the cloth or not?" I could see he was getting antsy. I heard the wooden floors creak behind me and realized that the other customer must've been starting the line._ Great, just another person to be embarrassed in front of_.

"I-I'm sorry Mr. Olson," I said, shaking my head. "I don't have that much money on me. I'm sorry." I turned around and nearly fainted when I saw the other customer.

_Mr. Whitlock._ I shook my head and tried to reorient myself. He looked just as good as he had when I'd first met him last night. He was wearing dark slacks and shoes; similar to yesterday's. He wasn't wearing a vest today though, just a gray dress shirt and dark jacket. His blonde hair was still in disarray and I felt the overwhelming impulse to run my fingers through it.

"Andrew, I'll pay for the cloth. And, add in a couple of those candy hearts," he instructed. I gaped at him. _I can't let him do this. He could have interior motives,_ I thought.

"Sure thing, Jasper," Mr. Olson replied. I heard the tapping of the keys on the register.

"Mr. Whitlock, you can't do this," I told him. He just smiled at me and passed me on his way to pay for the items. I sighed. Now, I was _really_ stuck. I couldn't run no matter how much I wanted to. He had paid for that cloth; I couldn't just leave him with it.

I heard him say something to Mr. Olson. I heard them both laugh and then Mr. Olson say, "Good luck". They laughed again and Mr. Whitlock walked back to my side.

"Ready?" He asked me, his blue eyes smiling. I took a breath and nodded slowly. He offered his elbow and I took it, allowing him to escort me out of the store.

"You shouldn't have bought that cloth, Mr. Whitlock." I said, once we were outside the store. He shook his head as he escorted me down the sidewalk.

"And why is that, Miss Alice?"

"Because now you're going to expect something back, and I have nothing to offer you," I mumbled, playing with a loose string on my dress.

"Come for a walk with me," he said, "and we'll call it even. Okay?"

I eyed him skeptically. _A walk? That's all he was asking for was _a walk_? Something was definitely up._ I sighed, but consented, following him down the street.

We found ourselves down by the river that ran through the town. Mr. Whitlock had removed his suit jacket so that I could have a place to sit alongside the bank. He was being overly gentlemanly, and I was keeping my guard up.

"So, Miss Alice," Mr. Whitlock said, looking over at me. He was leaning back on his elbows, the picture of relaxation. "How long have you known Rosalie?"

_I _knew _it! He was only using me to get to my sister! Oh, I'd play this game…._

"My whole life," I smiled at him. "She's my sister." He raised his eyebrows, popping a few candy hearts into his mouth.

"Really? I would've never guessed. Did you know that my friend seems to be quite infatuated with her?" He smiled back at me.

"Emmett?" He nodded. "She's quite taken with him, too." I replied, looking back at the river. The grass had grown tall around its edges, leaving just a little of it visible from where we were sitting. Mr. Whitlock turned on his one elbow to face me.

"Are you taken by anyone in particular, Miss Alice?" He smiled boldly at me. My eyes widened at his question.

"What a horrible thing to ask!" I huffed, turning away from him. I could hear him shift behind me.

"I'll take that as a 'no'?" He asked, not moving from his spot. I nodded my head despite myself.

"It's kind of difficult to be taken with anyone when your life has already been _taken_ _from_ _you_," I whispered, my eyes stinging as a sudden gentle breeze blew across us.

I felt Mr. Whitlock take my hand a place something in it. I pulled my hand in front of me to see what he'd placed there. It was a small, pink candy heart with the writing 'Be Mine' on it. I gasped, my eyes growing wide, and I turned back to face him.

"I-I can't," I stumbled, shaking my head. He groaned, falling back against the grass.

"Don't start that again, Miss Alice," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. I reached my free hand up and brushed my hair back.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I said, watching him, "but I can't."

He sat up, the biggest grin on his face. I raised an eyebrow at him. I was confused; I'd just told him for the _second _time that I couldn't be his, and he was smiling like the bird that ate the canary.

"What?" I asked, hoping he'd shed some light for me.

"You called me _Jasper_," he smiled, taking my free hand. "Please, Alice, _please_ reconsider." I shook my head. Part of me was screaming, _"Have you _seen_ this guy? Alice, what are you thinking! He's good looking; he's got money _and _manners! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?_ But I couldn't do it. "Will you at least tell me _why_?" He asked, begging me.

"It'd be scandalous!" I said, looking him in the eyes. "People are going to talk, Jasper," I smiled even with the situation being what it was. The way his name felt on my lips was wonderful. It could have easily become my favorite word.

"Well, let's give them something to talk about!" He nodded and his blue eyes were completely serious. "Come on Alice, please. Don't make me beg; I'm already pathetic enough!" I laughed at him.

"Jasper, what about your reputation? This isn't going to look good on any life résumé," I said, watching for his reaction.

"My life résumé isn't complete without someone else. It isn't complete without _you _Alice," he smiled, watching me now. I flushed, thoroughly embarrassed now.

"Why is it that you have the craziest sayings, but they make my heart do funny things?" I asked him. He smiled, showing his dimples.

"I don't have to talk all the time, you know," he said, reaching into the bag of candy hearts.

"I never would've figured you for a candy hearts kind of guy," I remarked, laughing. I watched as he pulled a couple out of the bag and read them.

"Well, they give me good ideas. Like that one," he pointed to the one I still had in the palm of my hand, "and this one," he held up one that said 'sweet talk'.

"You mean you haven't been doing that this whole time?" I asked with a giggle. He smiled back at me.

"Only if it's working." I nodded and his smile grew before he ate the small, tart piece of candy. "Oh, and this one," he said, holding up a small green one that said 'Kiss Me'. I smiled as my cheeks flushed some more.

"Does that one get its answer?" I asked, watching as he nodded. He leaned in, and I thought for sure I was going to get kissed on the cheek, but he picked up my hand that still held the 'Be Mine' heart and placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles.

"Jasper, a-are you sure? I mean, I'll be okay if you were put up to this, I promise. But if it goes any farther than this, I have to warn you, I can't guarantee there won't be trouble," I said. He nodded slowly.

"I can assure you this is no joke; I wasn't put up to anything. I can't guarantee that this will be an easy path, but I can promise you I'll be by your side as long as you're by mine. Okay?" I nodded. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug.

The feeling was so surreal and I didn't want to break it, but I had to get back to the saloon before James got there and realized I had left without his permission. I could probably talk my way out of it though, knowing him.

"Alice? You seem off…. Is there a reason?" Jasper asked me. I closed my eyes and nodded.

"I have to go back to work," I mumbled, feeling him stiffen.

"Please tell me you are _not_ dancing tonight," he growled, removing his arms to look at me. His eyes were stern and his mouth was set in a tight line.

"It's Saturday," I said, sighing and turning away from him. I already felt undeserving and telling him I had to dance tonight made me feel sick. "It's our busiest night." I heard him groan behind me.

"I wish there was some way to get you out of there, Alice," I heard him whisper. I shook my head, remembering what Rose had told me the night before.

"There is no way, Jasper," I said shakily. "There is no higher road for girls like me and Rose." He placed a hand on my shoulder and prompted me to turn around. I looked over my shoulder at him.

"Face me, Alice, so I can tell you this without you thinking I'm just joking," he instructed. I turned back to face him; he looked me squarely in the eyes. "I _will_ find a way to get you and your sister out of there. I don't care what it takes; there's a way to do _everything_." I felt my eyes start to water and I grew embarrassed again.

"I have to go, Jasper," I said, standing up. I was making my way up the riverbank and back to the road when I heard Jasper call my name. I turned around and watched as he ran up after me.

"Alice, wait for a minute!" He called, running the distance fairly quickly. He reached me, his breathing harsh as he spoke, "Join me for dinner tomorrow night. Please."

"Jasper, I -"

"It's _Sunday_ tomorrow. I _know_ there is no work. Please, Alice," he asked, looking at me with a hopeful expression.

"But, I couldn't impose…" I said, looking towards the road, knowing I had to get going.

"_Impose?_" He asked, looking at me like I was crazy. "Alice, I'm _begging_ you to come have dinner with me. You wouldn't be _imposing_ on anything. Please, tomorrow night. I'll pick you up. Just tell me where you live and-"

"I'll meet you outside of Mr. Olson's shop, tomorrow night," I interrupted him. He gave me a slightly confused expression, but nodded.

"Sure. Mr. Olson's at six o'clock. I'll be waiting," he smiled, taking my hand in his. "Until we meet again, Alice," he murmured, planting a soft kiss on my hand. I nodded as he released his hold on me and I all but ran to the road back to the saloon.

**So… A lot happened, wouldn't you agree? Review and let me know what you thought!**

**BTW: Yes, I did research, and candy hearts were around during this time in history. The phrases "Sweet Talk", "Be Mine", & "Kiss Me" were invented too. I thought it'd be a cute little way for Jasper to show Alice how he felt… Let me know what **_**you**_** thought, because I write it all for you guys!**

**Love you guys! Thanks for the support! PLEASE REVIEW! It'd help me improve on anything you find not up to par…**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	4. I Need A Hero

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** in any way, shape, or form **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**Thank you guys for every single review. Each one makes me smile because you guys take the time to press that little button and say a few words. **

**This chapter is dedicated to **_**CharliDenae**_**! I am IN LOVE with her story 'My Everything'. Check it out! She also is the F*Bomb (an out dated phrase, I know) at PMs. We have the greatest time, lol! **

**And can everyone just say 'whoa'? A **_**Wednesday**_** update? **_**Really? **_**I know last chapter I said a **_**Friday**_** update wouldn't be typical, and here I am even earlier! Kudos to all who reviewed to make me write faster and kudos to me for actually managing to write on my vacation!**

"I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero  
'Til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life."  
_Holding Out for a Hero _by Bonnie Tyler

**Jasper POV**

I felt like I was floating on air my whole walk back to Andrew's store. Alice had agreed to come to dinner with me. _Alice _had agreed to come to dinner with _me_. I still couldn't fully wrap my mind around it.

I was saying "hello" to everyone on the sidewalks and shaking hands with all the people I knew in town. I couldn't possibly have been in a better mood. You probably could've given me the moon and I wouldn't have been as happy.

I was whistling a happy tune as I opened the door to Andrew's store. He glanced up at me, leaning against a push-broom he was using to sweep the entrance. He noticed the bolt of cloth still in my hands and gave me a questioning look.

"I'm tempted to say, by the way you're carrying on that tune, that Miss Alice said 'yes'. But, you're holding that cloth, so I'm wondering if she said 'no' and by some twist of fate you're, dare I say, _happy_ about it?" He commented, watching me with an amused expression.

"She said 'yes'," I beamed, feeling my jaw stretch with the huge smile on my face. "I wanted you to wrap up this cloth and while you're at it, I need a few more yards of it," I said, heading towards the counter and placing the cloth on it. He nodded, joining me at the counter.

"Why wouldn't you let me wrap it up earlier, Jasper?" He asked, grabbing a box off of a shelf and placing the cloth gingerly inside of it.

"Because, wrapping it would've made it seem like I was making too much of an effort." I shrugged, "Besides, knowing Alice, she'd probably get upset with me for spending the money on wrapping it nicely."

Andrew laughed and I joined him. "Well, I suppose you're right. You're going to have your hands full with that girl, I can tell you that."

"I am fully aware," I said truthfully. "And I plan on embracing ever second of it." Andrew looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"You sound like you are really involved with Alice already, Jasper," he said, tying string around the box. I nodded.

"I think since I first saw her last night, at the saloon. I could tell, _I knew_, there was something different about her. I've never had this much emotion for someone in my whole life. It's actually a little bit frightening, but it's thrilling all at the same time," I confessed. "It's like I couldn't get her out of my head all last night, and this morning, and I _like _it."

"There's a lot about Alice," Andrew looked at me, "_And_ her sister that is different. They're not some pair of saloon girls looking to give good times for good tips. Both of them have very level heads on their shoulders despite how their parents were-"

"Can you explain? How their parents were?" I asked, breaking him off in the middle of him speaking. It was rude, and I knew that, but I had to get answers. I was curious.

"I can't explain anything. You want to know something, you go ask straight from the source," he gave me a pointed look. "Just trust me when I tell you that they know what they're doing, what they've _done_, and know that I've told you they aren't your average saloon girls."

"Okay, Andrew. I guess I can deal with that explanation," I relented, knowing that getting information from Alice would be damned near impossible with the way she was always shutting me out on certain things.

"Good, I'm glad. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?" He smiled, gesturing not so subtly around his store. I returned the smile and nodded.

"I need a couple of things ready by tomorrow. Do you think you could help me with some requests?"

"_Tomorrow? _I don't know, Jasper, we're kind of busy with special requests…." He trailed off, but I could see the sly smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Aw, come on, Andrew. You know I hardly ever ask for special requests." I smirked, adding an offer he could not refuse, "I'll pay _double_. Please, just let me request a few things."

"Double you say? Well, I think we could work with that offer," he smiled at me.

"Why is it that you said you wouldn't cheat Alice earlier today, but you have no problem receiving double pay from me?" I laughed, but my question was serious.

Andrew answered quickly, "Because, Alice can't _afford_ double price. And besides, I don't even charge her or her sister regular price. They get a cheaper tag because I _know_ they can't afford to pay what I make others pay. Someone has to pick up the slack after my generous offer, and you my boy, are just the person to do it."

_I guess I've been helping Alice out all along then_, I smiled as I that thought crossed my mind.

"So, anyway, what did you need? Special request, aye? Do tell me what you need and I'll be sure to have it ready by tomorrow," he said.

I started listing off everything I thought I'd need for the dinner tomorrow. I was such a smart guy….

**Alice POV**

I was halfway back to the saloon when I remembered my cloth. _I forgot to get it from Jasper!_ I groaned, realizing that there was no way I could get it back now. I'd just have to wait until Sunday when I had dinner with him. I smiled but still could not wrap my mind around the fact that _Jasper_ wanted to have dinner with _me_.

I was so relieved when he agreed to meet me at Mr. Olson's. I knew he acted like he was okay with me, but in reality, he didn't know anything at all. He had no idea where I called _home_, no idea about my past, and until a few minutes ago, he had no idea Rose was my sister. I had to admit it, the man was pretty clueless. But, it was _my _fault. I'd kept him at bay so far. I didn't even have the guts to confess to him that I lived in the back of the saloon.

I smiled as I opened the palm of my left hand. The small candy heart was still in my possession. I traced around its edges the rest of the way back to the saloon.

My own heart was swelled with, dare I say it, _love?_ Did I _love_ Jasper Whitlock? The thought was almost too much to process, but I did have to admit that there was a part of me that couldn't help but smile when he smiled, feel giddy when he did things like give me the candy heart, or swoon when he made contact with any part of my skin. Did I love Jasper? I never thought it possible to feel so much emotion for someone in as little of the time as I'd known Jasper Whitlock, but still that part of me couldn't deny these feelings, _my _feelings, for him.

When I reached Bull's Head, I didn't see James's horse outside. I was relieved I had made it back before he noticed my absence.

James was very controlling. He didn't like us to go anywhere without him knowing. Every now and then some of the girls could get away with it, but I was one of the 'special ones' he didn't like to leave. Most of the time, I could sneak out and not get caught. I was just that good.

I pushed open the front door and walked inside. None of the candles where lit, which meant that no one had arrived. Rose and the other girls were probably relaxing before our busy night.

I closed the door quietly behind me and heard a low, "Hello, Darlin'". I jumped and wheeled around. James was leaning against the wall right by the door.

"I was wondering when you'd get back," he said, walking towards me. I tightened my hand holding the candy heart into a fist. "Think of how worried I was when I showed up here and realized one of my favorite girls was missing. I was just _devastated_, Alice." He stopped in front of me, his face unreadable.

"James-"

"Where were you, Alice," he growled his question menacingly. "You know you're not supposed to leave the saloon!" He slapped me, his hand colliding forcefully with my cheek. I gasped, crumpling to the floor. My cheek stung. I raised my free hand to it and touched it lightly, gasping again when the pain intensified. It was almost too much to handle.

"Get up!" He yelled, yanking my arm and pulling me to my feet. "You don't get to get off easy just because you're one of my favorites. I have rules, Alice, and I don't like them broken. I need to trust you and you need to trust me, understand?" I didn't say anything. The word 'trust' sounded weird coming from James. Trust and honesty were two things James didn't know the full meaning of.

"Answer me when I'm speaking to you!" He swung his arm hard into my side. I gasped feeling all of my breath leave my lungs in one whoosh. I tried to keep a steady standing position, but I was barely able to breathe at the moment. "Answer me!" He yelled again, repeating the action; his arm collided with my ribcage.

"Get off of me!" I choked, using all of my strength to try and push his hands off of me. He grabbed onto both of my wrists and pushed me backwards. I fell to the floor and felt my candy heart fly out of my hand. My head was ringing with the force of the impact and I couldn't fathom anything happening around me for a few moments.

When I regained consciousness, James was looking at me inquisitively. He bent down to retrieve the piece of candy that had flown from my grasp and landed mere inches away. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I looked at him.

"_Be mine?_" He asked, reading the candy. "Where in the hell did you get this?" I reached a limp hand up and brushed my tears off of my cheeks, but my sobbing did not stop. "Answer me, Alice!" James yelled, "Where did you get this piece of candy?" He was bent over, yelling in my face; I cringed.

I shook my head, refusing to put Jasper's good name into this. James slapped me again, on the other side of my face this time.

"Well I guess if you can't even tell me the person's name, they're not that important," he smirked at me and dropped the candy heart right near my eyes. I watched in horror as he took the tip of his dirty, pointed boot and ground the piece of candy into tiny smidgens of dust. He grinned back at me, daring me to say or do anything.

"I'm going to make sure you don't sneak out without my permission _ever_ again," he said, pulling on my arm. I was yanked up and off the floor again by his strength.

He dragged me back to a spare room behind the scenes at the saloon. After pushing me into the darkness, he slammed the door shut. I heard him laugh as he locked me in from the outside.

"Good luck trying to escape now, Alice," James laughed. I walked backwards until I found the wall and sunk to the floor. There was no cot to lie down on and the floor was as hard as a rock.

I took a deep breath and let my sobs over take my body for the second night in a row. I couldn't believe how naïve I had been. I couldn't believe I had let myself get so involved with something that couldn't happen. Just look at the consequences! There was no way I would allow myself to interfere and hurt Jasper in that way. I couldn't live with myself if something terrible happened to him because of me.

I sat in the dark of the room and tried to think of a way to distract myself. My mind was on one track, and the train running on it? Well, it was going non-stop to depression town. _If I had my cloth I could make a bed…_ I thought, but that idea was quickly smashed. James had taken my candy heart and destroyed it, what would stop him from ruining a bolt of fabric?

I heard movement outside of the door and scrambled to my feet. Running to the door, I nearly stumbled across something that seemed to be moving out of _my_ way. _Great, rats…_ I thought, shuddering slightly.

I made it the rest of the way to the door and pressed my ear against it. I could hear someone talking and started banging on the door.

"_Help!" _I screamed, "Rose! Anybody! Help me!" I pounded on the door, not caring if James heard me or not. I wanted to get out. I _needed _to get out. I pounded harder on the frayed wood, each time bringing my fist down harder and sending shocks of pain through my hand.

"Alice? It's Lauren," I heard Lauren laugh. "What did you do to get yourself locked in _the dungeon_?" She said the name so ominous I was actually frightened. And I _knew_ not to let any of those other girls get to me, but Lauren was scary.

"I, uhm," I paused. "It's none of your business! Unlock the door! I know the lock is out there!" I was panicking. I felt another rat, or possibly the same one, crawl across the top of my shoes. I squealed, jumping and attempting to climb the flat door.

"Hmm, I think not. You must've done _something_ for James to put you in there," she chuckled. "I'm not going to risk _my_ good standing with James to help _you_. Enjoy the show!" She laughed. I heard her heels clicking on the floor as she left.

I slid down the length of the door and let tears of sadness, frustration, and anger flow freely down my cheeks again.

I heard the music start up as my sobs slowly subsided. I was curled up in a corner of the room, feeling more pathetic than I ever could've imagined. If I had found the high points to this job yesterday, I needed to start a list of the cons. There was no way this was healthy.

I heard the shouting and cheering for the girls on stage. For once I wished I was up there. It was so much better than being in this room with these… these…_ rats_. I shuddered hearing one of them squeak and squeal as it, or possibly another, ran with its tiny claws over the wood floor.

I'd never been in this kind of punishment before. I had no clue what to expect. Would James just leave me in here to rot for the rest of my life? Surely that was a little extreme, even for him. Would he come back later tonight and take more of his anger out on me? That one was a little bit more plausible, though still not ideal. All I wanted was to get out.

I could feel the lump in my throat tighten again, but I was pretty positive I was out of tears. I'd cried more in the past two days then I'd cried when… well, when our parents sold me and Rosalie to James, leaving us scared and alone without any other family members to help us or comfort us.

I heard the soft sound of someone walking down the hall. I rushed to the door and pressed my ear against the cracked and splintered wood. I heard muffled voices and tried to catch the words I could.

"Really… sweet…I'd would've…but… didn't want to come…had something to do…thought he had liked that…yeah…" I could hear a male voice as the owner talked slowly, quietly.

"I don't know… upset… didn't like the… wish she would've listened… I know… exactly…" The accompanying female voice wasn't any clearer than her partners.

I heard my name and hoped to God I knew the people out there. I started pounding on the door calling out frantically for help. The muffled voices stopped and I heard their footsteps walk down the hall towards me. It was amazing how much your other senses seemed to enhance in their ability when one (my eyesight in this situation) wasn't up to par.

"Help me! I know someone's out there! Please," I cried tearlessly.

"Alice?" Rose's voice called clearly through the door now that she was standing so close. "Is that you? Alice?"

"Rose!" I cried, happy that I'd taken the chance and reached the one person that could probably help me.

"Alice! I've been worried about you! What happened?" She asked; her voice was panicked. I smiled because I was so much closer to home with Rose on the other side of the door.

"I'll explain later, Rose, I promise. Can you get me out?" I asked, hopeful that Jessica was just teasing and the lock could be opened without a key. I _prayed_ that it could be opened without a key.

I heard the sound of her fumbling with the lock. No matter how much I wanted to have hope, no matter how much I wanted to _believe_, I knew it was impossible.

"Uhm, it's a pretty tough lock…. I can't-"

"Stand back, Alice," I heard Emmett say. My eyes grew huge as I backed away from the door. I found myself plastered against the wall as a loud _bang_ sounded and reverberated through the tiny room. "I am goin' to try again, Alice. Stay back now, ya hear me?" I nodded and then realized he couldn't see that action.

"Yes, Emmett," I said, "I understand." I clutched to the wall as best as I could as another core shaking smack hit the door.

"Damn it," I heard him groan. "Alice, I can't get it. The door is a piece of shit but the lock… the lock is… is… well somethin' that ain't shit." I heard the slightest giggle from Rosalie and no matter how much I wanted to join in with her giggling, I couldn't.

I swallowed the lump in my throat; the one growing from panic and not sadness this time. "I-It's okay, Emmett. I'll get out somehow."

"Okay Alice, so now tell me what in the hell happened to get you stuck in there?" I heard Emmett ask. I took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. My ribs hurt and the deep breath sent a shocking pain through me.

"Ow," I whispered, quiet enough that they didn't hear me. "Um, I just went on an errand and he didn't know I'd left so he, uh, got mad and put me in here to make sure I w-wouldn't leave a-again," I could feel my sobs start to form again and with each shuddery breath the pain got worse.

"Are you okay, Alice?" Rose asked. I felt tears, tears I had thought I'd cried out already, prickle like cactus needles behind my eyes. Rosalie was _worried _about me. She _cared_ whether or not I was okay. Of course, I should expect this, she is my _sister_ after all, but after the horrible encounter I'd had with James just a few hours- at the most- earlier, I was still a little battered in more ways than just physically.

"Y-yeah," I gasped. A thought crossed my mind and I had to ask, "J-Jasper didn't come here tonight, did he?"

There was silence on the other side of the door; a kind of silence that was unnerving for some reason. I swallowed the bitter bile that had just collected in my mouth before attempting to speak.

"Did he?" There was no answer. "Rosalie? Emmett? Jasper didn't come here by any chance, did he?" Again, _silence_. "Rose? You didn't leave me did you?"

"So, _Jasper Whitlock_, is it?" I heard James say. I closed my eyes tight, whishing I could just take it all back. My chest heaved with an indescribable pain. "And you thought I wouldn't figure it out? Just what kind of a fool do you take me for, you little whore?"

"Whoa, buddy, back off," I heard Emmett intervene. _Why hadn't he spoken earlier?_

"I ain't your _buddy_. You shut your bazzo or I'll clean your plow like I did Alice's. Ya hear me?" I gasped, imagining the horrible fight about to commence between Emmett and James.

"What did you do to her?" I heard Rosalie screech hysterically.

I could practically hear James' evil grin influence his sentence as he spoke, "Well, ain't we a feisty one t'night? What I did to Alice is for me to know, her to feel, and you to, well, I can't think that far ahead. She might not even make it tomorrow for the damn stunt she pulled." I gasped and felt a sickening crack in my ribcage. James couldn't be serious, could he?

"What did you do, James," Emmett growled.

"I did enough to make her realize that if she _ever _crosses me again, there will be hell to pay," I heard James retort. "But then again, I ain't too positive she'll make it to tomorrow."

"Alice, can you hear me?" Emmett asked me. I nodded and then realized he couldn't see the motion.

"Yes, Emmett, I can hear you," I managed to speak past the lump in my throat that was growing from worry.

"Do you need medical attention? How hurt are you?" He asked these questions slowly, but even his pace couldn't hide the worry in his voice.

"I-I, uh, I c-can't," I struggled, my breathing ragged. I couldn't see anything in the room, but I knew my eyes were losing focus.

"Alice?"

I barely registered my name being called before my body slumped against the door and I fell to the ground. I could feel my legs screaming out in protest as they were bent beneath me in the most awkward of positions.

"Alice?"

My name was called again, frantically this time. I tried to respond, but I couldn't. My mouth did not seem connected to my brain anymore. I could not will myself to utter a response, no matter how much I wanted to.

My eyelids fluttered closed and my brain seemed to slowly shut down. If I was dying, I hated the fact that I knew James was right. He'd said I wouldn't make it into tomorrow.

I hated the fact that if I was dying, he got the last laugh.

I hated the fact that if I was dying, he was the one to push me to the brink.

I hated the fact that if I was dying, I was leaving Rosalie alone in this hell with James.

I hated the fact that if I was dying, I was dying alone….

**So, I know, y'all are going to hate me for ending it there, but I promise, the next chapter is done and will not take long to be posted. **

**Please review and tell me what you think! I'd like to know your thoughts. It does help me improve…**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	5. I Will Rescue You

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**So, I'm updating on a Saturday again… I had really hoped to have a serious schedule about posting, but that's not working out so well with vacation and other things going on right now, so hopefully after the summer's over Saturday will become my regular posting day.**

**This chapter is in Jasper's POV all the way through. I'm sorry, but it just worked out that way. IT IS IMPORTANT however, so if you would at least skim it…**

"Tonight I swear I'd sell my soul  
To be a hero for you

I won't lie, I wish that I  
Could be your Superman tonight."  
_Superman Tonight _Bon Jovi

"When it seems like you have lost it all  
And you feel like you're in free fall  
Goin' deep into the blue  
I will rescue you."  
_Rescue You_ by Jake Epstein

**Jasper POV**

A loud pounding on my door startled me out of my dozing state. I groaned, rolling over in my bed. _Really? Who's the dumb ass pounding on my door at,_ I lit a match and fired up my lantern to check the time, _ten o'clock?_

The pounding did not cease, in fact it seemed to grow in urgency. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and stood up. My floor was cold and it sent a nerve-shocking wave through me. _If the knocking didn't do the job, I was definitely awake now_. I let another groan pass my lips. I grabbed my folded up trousers off of the chair in my room as I walked through the door.

I walked down my hallway, tugging on my trousers, and rolled my eyes as the pounding reached a frenzied pace.

"C'mon Jasper! I know you're home! Get your ass down here! It's an emergency!" I heard Emmett bellow. I knew Emmett didn't just think any old thing was an emergency. He'd only bother to come get me if it was something he couldn't handle himself. I took my stairs two at a time until I reached my living room.

"Hold on a second, Emmett!" I hollered. The pounding immediately ceased. I walked over to my front door, undid the lock, and opened it.

Emmett stood outside on my porch, his face covered in a light seen of sweat as he panted and puffed to get his breathing back to normal. I could feel my eyebrows rise in a questioning gesture as I looked over his appearance.

"Emmett? What's going on?" I asked him, hoping he could form a coherent sentence in his state.

"I was… and there was… and then she was… and then there was… you just need to follow me to see what else there was…" He gasped. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Emmett, calm down, okay? Tell me what happened?" I asked, hoping that he could pull it together to give me some kind of hint as to what was going on.

"I," he started, his breathing still ragged, "went to Bull's Head tonight. Rose and I were… in the back… I was saying goodnight," I rolled my eyes at him, knowing that he was doing _way_ more than saying goodnight, "and we heard this banging and crying. Alice was, in this room… I tried to get her out and then… and then-"

"_What?_God damn it, Emmett! You could've said Alice was in trouble! Shit!" I yelled at him. I knew Emmett liked to tell a good story, but if Alice was in trouble, damn it, I needed that information first!

"You need to bring something to cut metal with, Jasper," he told me. "Unless you think we could both knock out this shitty door and its not-shit lock."

I turned back into my living room and retrieved a box from my crawl space. It was a shipment of railroad tools I was supposed to ship out to my crew next week. I found some heavy-duty nail cutters and pulled them out of the box. Unless the lock was tougher than a railroad nail, these would do the trick.

I held the tool in my hand as I walked back to my front door. Waving them in Emmett's face, I pushed past him and out onto my porch.

"Think them'll work?" Emmett asked. I nodded, heading off of my porch and around to my small barn where Duke was resting in his stall.

I took in his tack and got him ready. He gave me a questioning look and I patted his neck as I led him out of his stall.

"Sorry," I whispered to him, "but this is an emergency." His ears twitched and he snorted, bobbing his head on the short lead I'd given him. He understood exactly what I meant.

When I came back around to the front of my house, Emmett was already mounted on his horse. The poor beast looked just as worn out as Emmett, if not more so. His neck was damp with sweat; I could see that in the dim light casted from the lantern on the porch of my house.

"We have to get going, Jasper," Emmett pleaded. "Rosalie was in hysterics as I left. Alice wasn't responding to us after awhile."

I extinguished my lantern and followed Emmett as we raced out of my yard and down the main road towards Bull's Head Saloon. Time seemed too fast and Duke seemed to run too slow. A horrible combination when you're trying to get to someone that you're really concerned about.

When we reached the saloon, Rosalie was outside, pacing on the porch, waiting for us. We quickly dismounted and hitched our horses to the posts out front.

"Emmett! Jasper!" She ran towards us like a bat out of hell and wrapped us both in a big hug. She lingered on Emmett a little bit longer, not that I cared and not to his displeasure. "Please, hurry!"

"Has she responded, Rose?" Emmett asked her, keeping a steady hand around her shoulders. I felt my heart wrench as Rosalie slowly shook her head. Good God, I needed to get to her soon.

"Where's James?" I asked, thinking of our one big obstacle. He was our obstacle and the guy I most wanted to get my hands on at the moment.

"He left after Emmett left. Emmett told him he was going home and he threatened me, told me if I went to get Emmett so you guys could rescue Alice that… that…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. Emmett wrapped another arm around her and pulled her close. The sight was so warm and, I guess you could say _loving_. But, I _needed _to get in there and save Alice.

"Emmett, Rosalie," I said their names quietly, afraid to break up their moment. They both looked at me and nodded slowly, already knowing what I was about to say.

Emmett and I followed Rosalie into the saloon. The place seemed to have some kind of power over me that angered me beyond belief. We followed Rosalie through the dimly lit building.

"Where is she, Rosalie?" I asked, pulling the railroad tool from my pocket. Rosalie pushed open a door on the back wall of the saloon.

She led us into a small hallway and pointed to an old looking door. Emmett's assessment had been right, the door was a piece of shit, but the lock on it seemed like a high model one. I was fairly positive my railroad nail clipper could take it, but the thought of what laid beyond that door, I'll admit, scared me.

"Alice, can you hear me?" I tried, pressing my ear against the door. I was hoping for even the smallest of sounds, but there was none. I glanced over my shoulder at Emmett and he gave me a solemn look. I knew she'd been like this for awhile.

I placed the lock in between the two clips on the cutters and gave a squeeze; it broke with no hesitation. I sighed and threw the tool to the left of me. The door swung open on its own and my breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight.

There, lying right in the doorway, was Alice. She was curled up in the fetal position, her face tucked towards her chest. She was wearing the same dress I had seen her in earlier today.

I felt something come in contact with my shoulder. I turned around and Emmett gave me the same look he'd given me earlier. I knew I needed to act fast, because this situation was not looking good.

I bent down and managed to maneuver Alice into my arms. Her head rolled towards me and I had to take a moment to process what I was seeing. She had multiple bruises and her lips were bloody and swollen.

"Jasper, is she-" Rosalie started to ask me what Alice's state was, but as she approached she got her answer. I heard her sharp intake of breath and felt an immediate sense of empathy for her.

"I have to get her medical attention," I told Emmett without looking away from Alice's face.

"That's a good idea, Jasper," he said. "Do ya think Carlisle'll be up this late?" I shot him a glance over my shoulder.

"He's a doctor, Emmett," I reminded him, "he'd get up for an emergency."

"Right. C'mon Rose, I ain't lettin' you stay here alone."

"I can't leave… it's a rule…" she trailed off. _They couldn't leave? Is this why Alice got beaten like this? That James was going to pay…._

"Well I ain't lettin' you stay here! Screw James," Emmett growled. "Go get your things, Rose."

I picked Alice up and turned around. Emmett's look made even me feel slightly afraid. Rosalie nodded before turning to me.

"You should probably come and get some things of Alice's too," Rosalie informed me. I shook my head.

"I can't risk the chance that she wouldn't make it because I stopped to get her clothes. She'll be fine for tonight and tomorrow at least in this dress. Sorry, Rosalie, but I have to get her help. _Now_."

Rosalie gave me confirmation and I said a quick parting goodbye to both her and Emmett as I headed out of the saloon.

With every beat of Alice's heart, I felt more at ease. At least I knew she was still alive. I rushed out of the saloon with her limp body in my arms. _Please let Father be awake, _I chanted over and over in my head as I tried to get Alice secure in Duke's saddle.

I swung up behind her and took off in the safest gallop I could. My parents' house wasn't too far away, but I couldn't risk the chance of Alice's condition worsening because I'd taken my sweet ol' time.

Being the time of night it was, there was hardly anyone awake. I hated knowing that the sound of Duke's galloping through town could disturb people, but I had no choice. I was holding on to Duke's reins in the Western style. I used my free hand to wrap around Alice's waist and keep her steady. _Thank you, God, for making Duke's trainer make him versatile_, I thought for probably the millionth time since I had purchased my horse.

I arrived on my parents' land and slowed Duke down. I approached at a trot, still fast but not too fast.

My parents' owned a two story house similar to mine, except for the fact that my house was a little less 'put together'. It was clean, which I guess was a point in my favor, but all the homey touches were absent. I had refused to let my mother decorate my house. However, even I had to admit that their house was wonderful. Lavish and yet warm and inviting at the same time. How my mother managed it, I had no idea.

Their house was a simple white color with wrap-around porches on both the first and second story. My mother insisted the second floor porch was called a _balcony_and in all honesty, it was fancier than the first floor porch. The porch, uhm excuse me, _balcony_ had a fancy iron railing that was made up of an intricate design of roses and calla lilies, my mother's two favorite flowers.

The white house was accented with ebony shutters and an ebony door. It was a very recognizable house that anyone in town could identify with ease. Everyone was welcomed at the Doctor and Missus Cullen's house.

I just hoped visiting hours weren't over tonight….

I put Duke to a halt right in front of their porch. I took a deep breath and dismounted, sliding Alice gently back into my arms. I knew this was a good time to put Duke's ground-tying training to the test. He'd been trained to stay put if his reins were slipped over his head and put to a rest on the ground. I did just that and prayed to God that he'd stay put.

I took the front porch stairs two at a time (there were only four) and rushed to the door. _Please be awake, please, please, please_, I thought as I started knocking on the door.

Sensible people were sound asleep by this time of night. I thanked the Lord that my parents were _not_ too sensible as my mother opened the door. She took one look at me, one look at Alice, and ushered me inside without a word.

I went directly into the living room and laid Alice down on their overstuffed davenport. She looked so helpless lying on the cushions. Her head was turned towards me slightly, her eyes still closed. Her face was covered in bruises and her lips had only seemed to get worse in terms of swelling; the blood had all dried. I felt like crying as I studied her face. _How could he do this to her? How could he live with himself for hurting her like this? God damn it, _I swore_, once I get my hands on that… that… _deadbeat_ I'd give him a real licking to his plow. _

"I don't know Carlisle, he didn't say anything," I heard the whisper of my mother's voice. The deep yet soothing mumble of my father followed shortly after, but I couldn't quite catch what he'd said.

"She looks pretty banged up," my mother continued. "You need to get out there and help the poor girl."

I glanced toward the staircase just as my mother made her way down, her footsteps quiet and measured. She came to the landing and walked towards me, attempting one of her smiles.

"He's coming down, Jasper," she told me, smoothing my hair back from my face even though she had to stand on the balls of her feet a little to do it. I just nodded. I didn't know if I could talk or if I even _wanted _to talk. This has to be the worse day in my whole life.

"Jasper, she'll be alright. Carlisle treats people with problems far worse than this," she tried to reassure me. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and shook my head.

I'd never in my life seen my father treat a person with these kinds of injuries. Sure, there was the Blacksmith that came to my father when I was ten after he's accidentally hammered his thumb and made his nail all raggedy. Then there was the Farrier who received a concussion by an unruly stallion he was trying to shoe when I was fourteen. But, they had nothing on Alice's injuries.

_Maybe it's only worse because you're emotionally attached to this one_, my voice of reason spoke. I had to admit that my conscious had a point. The other guys were just townspeople I had encountered before. I knew nothing more about them besides their job and their injury. _But Alice_, my heart wrenched as I looked at her again,_ is different. She's so much more._

I heard the even footfalls of my father as he descended the stairs and entered the room. He was carrying his leather doctor bag and gave me a smile just like mother had.

"Well, let's have a look, shall we?" He asked. I watched as he went to kneel by Alice's side. He took her wrist and checked her pulse. He studied her bruises, measured a few; checked her mouth for what I could only guess. He used his fingers to lightly probe at her temples and I heard him make a sound. I couldn't define it, and I couldn't tell if it was a good sign or not. But when doctors made noises, it usually wasn't a good sign….

My father stood up slowly and I watched his movement intently. My mother spoke his name softly in a questioning form. He turned towards us but talked directly to me.

"The good news is that she has a pulse." He paused for an agonizing few seconds, "She has multiple contusions to her temples and cheeks. Her bottom lip appears to have several lacerations caused from self inflicted injury. I'm predicting that when she sustained her injuries, she accidentally bit her lip with enough force to entice bleeding."

I nodded and glanced at her small form. I would _kill_ him.

"Jasper," my father called my attention back, "she isn't gone. She has had some terrible trauma and she's received several blows to her head. It's knocked her out, for lack of using another ridiculously long medical term," he said attempting a smile.

"Jasper," my mother called to me. I turned to my left and looked at her. "I'm not having her rest on that davenport all night." I nodded, already knowing I could take her back to my place if I needed to. I moved back to her side, ready to pick her up. "Carry her to the first guest bedroom," my mother continued. I released a sigh of relief. Thank God my parents were such good people.

I nodded and lifted her still limp body into my arms. I carried her up the flight of stairs with nary a problem. She was so light and fit so perfectly into my arms, her head into the crook of my neck, that I didn't even want to lay her down once we reached the first guest bedroom.

It was decorated in light shades of purple, one of my mother's favorite colors. I walked to the room and laid her down gently on the large bed. It seemed to swallow her whole, she was so small. I heard shuffling outside of the door and turned to see my mother with what appeared to be a stack of cloth in her hands.

"I figured I'd change her out of those clothes. It can't be healthy to sleep in them," she commented making her way into the room. "What did you say her name was again, Jasper?"

"I didn't. It's Alice," I told her watching as she unfolded a long nightgown.

"Alice," my mother seemed to coo as she bent over the bed, "what a beautiful name." She turned back to me and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Go, young man, before I make your father drag you out of here."

I rolled my eyes at my mother. If only she knew where I'd _met_ Alice. I'd seen more of her as she danced on that stage then I'd seen today when she wore that white dress.

"Don't sass me, young man!" My mother pretended to scold me as she gave me a light swat to my arm. "Go, Jasper. You can come back once I'm done."

I put on my best smile, "Thanks Mother." I leaned in to place a sweet kiss on her cheek.

"Shoo," she said with a laugh. I turned on my heel and left the room, closing the door behind me. My father was standing in the hallway just at the top of the stair landing.

"Jasper," he said my name with in a formal way, "come for a walk with me." I glanced at my father and then reached for my pocket watch, which was not in its usual place -my pocket.

"Now? But it's-"

"Almost eleven thirty," he stated with no change in his tone. "I want to go for a walk. Join me." His tone told me that I had better not argue. I nodded and followed him down the stairs.

He led me outside and around to the backyard. I was nervous. My father only ever took me into the backyard unless he was taking me to the woodshed.

The shack that housed the firewood for winter time had been the scene of many serious talks between my father and me (and the few whippings I had gotten as a kid).

He, as I suspected, walked towards the little hut and opened the door. I walked in first and sat down on a pile of logs. I watched as he lit a match and fired up the old lantern.

"Well, I was going to say 'take a seat', but my words would've been wasted," he said, attempting a smile. _Uh-oh… This was not looking promising._

Sure, I know what you're thinking. He's _smiling_, everything must be good. But, when my father smiled in the woodshed, it meant I was getting a talking to.

"Father, what is it?" _Dare I ask?_ Well, it had already been done. He came over to me and sat on an adjacent pile of wood.

"I wanted to talk to you, son," he said, rubbing his hands together. I nodded having already gathered that. "I'm not going to go beating around the bush. Alice is a girl from James's company, isn't she?"

I gave him confirmation of this fact and he continued. "Right. Well, James isn't going to be too happy when he finds out she's gone, now is he?" I shook my head. "What exactly was your plan bringing her here tonight?" His question was serious and I knew if I didn't come up with a good answer, it'd be the end of my argument.

"She needed medical attention, father," I started. He nodded and I knew that if my next statement wasn't better, I was done for. "Did you not _see_ what that piece of scum did to her? Father, she's broken! She's _broken!_ I swear if I could just get my hands on him he'd be so sorry for what he did. There's no way you can look at her and say she deserved that." I paused and swallowed past the again forming lump in my throat, "And you want to know what the worst part is? The worst part is that the reason she's like she is, the reason she's _broken_ is because of _me._ I was with her too long this morning, I kept her until almost afternoon! James was upset. _That's_ why she's hurt. It's _my _fault."

The admittance of it being my fault hit me like a ton of bricks. I could've spared her all that had I not gotten involved. _But I wanted more than anything to be involved. And now that I was, I couldn't let her go._

My father smiled at me and I had to blink a couple of times. His smile seemed to take up his whole face, and my father was _not_ one to show a lot of emotion.

"What?" I asked, slightly annoyed after sitting here with him just smiling at me. I was really questioning how sane my father was at this point.

"You love her, don't you?" His question was simple in structure and yet full in the amount of emotion it packed. I sucked in a breath and thought.

She was something different, I knew that the first night I met her. From what I had talked to her, she had more substance than what the other saloon girls seemed to have, minus her sister Rosalie who seemed pretty level-headed herself.

But Alice, she just seemed to have it all. She was level-headed, seemed to know right from wrong despite where she worked, and she was beautiful. It wasn't the first time I had recognized her beauty, and I was sure it wouldn't be the last.

I looked at my father and smiled. "Yes, father, I think I do." He nodded his head and rose from his seated position. He walked towards me slowly and placed a hand to my shoulder.

"Your mother is going to be overjoyed. You do realize this, right?" He chuckled as I nodded. Knowing my mother she'd be happy than a kid in a candy store. I'd just have to spare Alice from her torture. _You don't even know if she's in love with you, you idiot._

"Father?" I said his name hesitantly, asking for advice in the childish way I always had.

"Yes, son?"

"What if she doesn't love me back?" I had meant my question with all the seriousness in the world, but my father laughed. He _laughed_, at _me,_ for asking a serious question. Where was his sense?

"Jasper," he said my name in all seriousness, "why wouldn't she love you? You've showed her more love tonight and, from what you said earlier, _today_ than that girl has probably ever received from a man. Bringing her here for medical attention was something James neglected, wasn't it? He's the only man besides her father that she's really had any long-term contact with and look at how he's treated her. You did more than right to her by bringing her here and I'm sure she'll see that."

"You have no idea, father. She's definitely something else," I said softly. It felt weird discussing Alice with my father. Sure, we'd discussed girls before: Lemma Layman, a girl in my confirmation class that I had _slight_ feelings, for when I was thirteen; Della Morgan, a track-layer's daughter, when I first started working on the railroad plans. But, neither of them compared to Alice. It was a little unsettling talking about Alice to my father. I guess it was because my attraction to her was something far greater than Lemma or Della's. And even though my father was as at ease in this situation as he was with the other two before, it just felt _different_.

"Okay, sure, I'll admit I have no idea. She was unconscious when you brought her here," I could hear a faint smile in his voice. "Tell me, how did you manage to get this girl in your grasp?"

"Being extremely patient for a whole twenty-four hours," I let a slow chuckle escape. "Then, I accidentally ran into her at Andrew's store earlier today; I'd gone so I could get a few things. She was intending to purchase a cloth, but she didn't have enough money. I told Andrew I'd pay for it. I must've scared her because she looked kind of flushed, but I didn't take no for an answer. I insisted she go for a walk with me and then I," I coughed, "used the candy hearts."

"You did _what?_" My father asked, the smile in his voice was obvious.

I cleared my throat again and mumbled, "I let the candy hearts talk for me."

"Well I see the trait of ingeniousness passed from me to you as well," he chuckled, patting my shoulder lightly. "Which one did you use?"

"Uh, the 'Be Mine' one… and then I used a few others," I mentioned the last part as a whisper under my breath.

"Jasper, you didn't!" He used his scolding voice and I knew immediately what he thought I'd done. I shook my head feverishly.

"Just the one and it was on the hand, I swear to God," I said.

"Well," my father gave me another swift pat, "let's go see how your mother's been treating Alice."

I stood up from my comfortable seat of firewood and followed my father out of the shed and back towards the house. We used the back entrance knowing my mother would have a fit if we tracked dirt from the woodshed on our boots into her nice parlor.

My father looked at me as we brushed off our boots. "Hear that?" he asked. I listened and shook my head, silence.

"I don't hear anything," I said, giving him a curious glance. He nodded and started walking through the house. I raised my eyebrows, _ok… now I'm really questioning his sanity._

I followed my father up the stairs and we walked silently down the hall to the first guest bedroom. Peering into the doorway, I saw my mother. She was sitting on the bed next to Alice as she brushed her short hair away from her face.

Alice was still unconscious, laying on the bed with the quilt Esme's mother had made pulled up to her chest. She looked _at peace_, I guess you could say.

My father placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. He was smiling and I smiled back.

"You know your mother loves you," he whispered to me, "but she's always wanted a daughter…."

We turned back to watch the soft scene before us and I had quite the scare when I realized my mother was watching us.

"And don't just stand there like a cornered cat, Jasper," she scolded me. "I knew you both were there long before you thought I did. Neither one of you can control your footfalls on the steps, you know."

"Sorry, dearest," my father said. My mother nodded and did a sweeping motion with her hand.

"Well, now that you're here you might as well come in." I took the invitation and hurriedly opened the door. I went over to Alice's side immediately and knelt down on the floor by the bed. My mother had cleaned her up, given her a wash-over. The dried blood on her lips was gone even though the swelling was still noticeable. Her face looked freshly scrubbed, though I'm sure my mother did little more than pat it down gently with a rag lest she worsen the bruises.

"She's got bruises on her side, Carlisle," my mother said, waving my father into the room.

"Where?" He asked, brushing past me to check Alice out again.

"Just below her bust. They're pretty horrid looking," she commented. I swallowed hard, not able to imagine anymore injuries to Alice.

"Ribcage fractures most likely," he commented, nodding his head slowly. "She seems to be having no problems with her breathing, but someone should stay and make sure nothing happens in the middle of the night."

Both of my parents gave me a look and I knew they knew that I would prefer to stay by her side tonight.

"It's settled then," my mother said, standing up. "Jasper will stay here and will tell us if anything happens tonight, God forbid."

"Anything, Jasper," my father told me sternly. I nodded and watched as they slowly departed from the room.

The door was closed softly before I looked back at Alice. Her skin was so pale; the moonlight coming through the window just justified that. She had a luminous beauty to her that I hadn't seen in any of the other girls around town.

I bit my lip as I looked at hers. An overwhelming feeling of desire surged through me and I wanted nothing more than to come in contact with those lips. But, I wouldn't be the one to take advantage of her in this situation. _Damn it, I just _would not_ do that to her._

I curled my legs under me on the plush carpet and folded my arms on the bed by Alice's waist. _Please, God, _I prayed_, if there's one thing you could ever grant me in life it'd be to let her make it through this._

I laid my head into the cradle of my arms and tried to get some rest. I could already tell I'd be up tonight whether or not Alice needed me.

**So I know it was all in Jasper's POV, but I really couldn't do Alice's POV, could I? Please don't hate me… There will be Alice POV soon, I promise. **

**Lemma Layman and Della Morgan are, or **_**were**_**, real people. I needed period names and what better place to look than your family ancestry? Both of them are related to me, and I loved both of their names, so I used them (:**

**Leave a review if you can, I'd like to know what you think… (You could tell me I suck at writing a guy's POV and that would help, **_**seriously**_**).**

**Thanks for reading; you guys are awesome to have stuck by me!**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	6. Trouble

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**Thank you guys for every single review. Each one makes me smile because you guys take the time to press that little button and say a few words. **

**Alice is B-A-C-K people! I couldn't keep her out for too long (not even another chapter!)… Here ya go, new chapter for your Saturday (:**

"And I never meant to cause you trouble  
I never meant to do you wrong  
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble  
And oh no, I never meant to do you harm."  
_Trouble _by Coldplay 

**Alice POV**

My head was throbbing, my side hurt like it'd been run over by a pack of mules _twice_, and I was pretty sure I was hallucinating. The floor of the room I had been thrown in last night had suddenly gotten so _comfortable_. I turned onto my side that was not hurting and snuggled down a little bit more. _So comfy_, I thought.

I can't tell you what exactly it was that made me open my eyes. There were several things not quite right. The feel of what I was lying on was _too_ _comfortable_ to be a dirt floor. The smell of the room smelled nothing like the rats I had felt in the room earlier last night. The air I was breathing was somehow crisper, _fresher_, and it threw me off guard. So, I opened my eyes.

I had to blink several times as I stared at the wall across from me. It was _purple_. Well, more like soft lavender, but still. _Was the room painted purple? _I thought internally. It had been so dark last night that I couldn't see- _Wait. The room had _no windows. _How could I see the color of the wall if no light could come through?_

I started to panic, and the first thing out of my mouth was a strangled yell. "_Rose!_" I felt movement near my feet, movement that _I_ hadn't made, and I glanced down. I nearly died when I saw the source of the movement.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I harshly whispered as Jasper's blue eyes looked into mine. I sat up quickly, immediately wishing I hadn't, as the pain in my side seemed to intensify. I took the opportunity to look around the room, letting my eyes sweep over everything I could see. "Where _am_ I?" I asked, glancing down to my lap where a soft duvet was pooled around my waist.

"Which question do you want an answer to first?" Jasper chuckled. I shot him a look, wishing he'd just tell me where I was. "Okay, fine, sorry," he apologized. "I'm here because I was keeping an eye out for you all night. You're at Doctor Carlisle Cullen's house being treated for injuries. Any other questions?"

_Doctor? Whose idea was it to take me to a _doctor_? I can't afford treatment by any medical professional. Dr. Cullen is _not_ going to be happy when he realizes his patient can't pay his bill…_

"Alice?" Jasper said my name with such concern, "Say something, please."

I glanced down at my lap one more time before thinking of another question, "Where did this nightgown come from?" I pinched the fabric over my bodice between my fingers. _Silk._

"It's my mothers. She cleaned you up last night after my father did an exam on you. How are you feeling by the way?"

"My side hurts terribly," I said, watching as his faced morphed into a look of pain. I'm sure if I wasn't currently trying to save my side from inflicting more injuries, my face would look like that. "My head is throbbing, it hurts to blink, if I move to fast I'm in agony, and to top it off, I have absolutely no money to pay for Doctor Cullen's exam or- wait. Did you say I was wearing _your mother's _nightgown and then say that _your father_ gave me the exam?" I was starting to hyperventilate as my mind processed the information he'd given me oh-so-casually.

"I'm pretty sure I did," I glared at him as he smirked. "Alice," my name was merely a whisper as he moved from his position at the foot of the bed and came to sit beside me closer to the headboard, "please tell me you aren't mad at me."

I raised my eyebrows in a questioning gesture. He thought I was _mad_ at him? "I'm not _mad, _Jasper," I said. Taking a second to pause, I tried to find the right words, "I can't explain the mixture of emotion coursing through me at the moment. It's unreal that someone, that _you_ would do this for someone like _me_."

He gave me a questioning gesture in return before speaking, "Why is it so hard for you to believe there are people that care about you?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "God, Alice. I did this because _I_ care about you. I lo-"

"Oh good! She's awake," a female voice called just before the owner walked through the door. Jasper groaned just loud enough for me to hear.

She was a petite woman with the strangest colored hair, sort of like the caramel candies Mr. Olson sold in his shop. She walked over to me at a brisk but somehow light pace. When she smiled I was instantly put at ease. "I'm Esme Cullen, dear," she said as she extended her hand. I shook it as I watched her brown eyes shine and reflect the smile on her face.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," I said once she had released my hand, "I'm Alice." I immediately blushed, she probably already knew that. She nodded, the smile still on her face.

"You have a very beautiful name, dear," she said so full of honesty I couldn't help but smile. "A beautiful name for a very beautiful girl," I blushed even deeper. _She certainly wouldn't be thinking that if she knew what I did for a living…_

"I, uhm, want to th-thank you for taking care of me last night, Mrs. Cullen." She smiled and shook her head.

"It was absolutely no trouble at all. Jasper watched you all night, so I hardly did a thing," she smiled. "And please, call me Esme."

"I'd be honored to call you Esme, Mrs. Cu- I mean, _Esme_," I stumbled. I probably resembled a tomato by now. She laughed a light, yet full laugh.

"Well, I'd be honored if you let me call you Alice, dear," she smiled. I nodded and she patted my hand. "How was your night?"

"I, uhm, don't remember much. I apologize-"

"Nonsense! No one can blame you, Alice. You've been through quite a lot in the past twenty-four hours. I guess I should've asked you how you're feeling," she chuckled again.

"To be honest? Not well. I'm sore on my whole right side, but I wanted to thank you for putting me up in such a nice room. I wouldn't have expected it," I said, worried that she was only playing the role of good hostess and as soon as I was able she'd be glad to get me out of her house.

"Oh, nonsense. Where else were you going to sleep? The davenport? Heaven forbid. Think nothing of it, dear. Is there anything I can get you?"

"I'd like to know what the charges are. I don't have much, but I can try to pay you back as soon as I can…" I felt mortified as another person stepped through the door.

I immediately recognized him as Doctor Carlisle Cullen. He had treated Rosalie when she'd sprained her ankle a few years back. Of course, how could you _not_ recognize Doctor Cullen? His light blonde hair and perfect stature was hardly unattractive. He looked like he should be modeling for the feedbag signs instead of those half-dressed (or half-_undressed_) girls.

_Girls like you, right Alice?_ I swallowed past the lump growing in my throat from that thought.

"Good morning, Alice," Doctor Cullen said. "How are you feeling today?"

"I just got through with telling Mrs. Cu-," I sighed, _it's not that hard. All she requested was that you call her by her first name, good God_, "_Esme_ that the right side of my body is really sore, but I wanted to thank you guys for putting me up for the night. I didn't mean to inconvenience you… If I could have your charges-"

"There are no charges," Doctor Cullen said forcefully. "Consider it, if you must, a favor to Jasper. I will not have you pay for anything."

I glanced at Jasper who was still sitting next to me. He had his head in his hands and was using his fingers to rub his temples slowly. His honey-blonde hair made a curtain so I couldn't see his eyes. He looked stressed out and more than a little annoyed. _I don't know what I did to make him so angry…._

"Thank you, Doctor Cullen. It's too kind of you."

"Please, call me Carlisle," he insisted just like Mrs. Cullen had, "everyone else in the family does." I froze and blushed a deep shade of red. Doctor Cullen just winked at me. I heard Jasper groan before his head shot up and he sent his father one of the scariest looks I'd ever seen.

"That's enough," Jasper said, causing both of his parents to stare at him sternly. "We've established _several _times that she is not feeling well. She's thanked you _several _times. Is there anything else we need repeats of? Or can you both just leave?"

Neither one of his parents said anything. They exchanged a glance among themselves before silently leaving the room together. I felt horribly guilty watching them both leave like that, even though it was not my fault.

Once the bedroom door was shut, I glared at Jasper. "What was that about?" He just shook his head and rubbed at his temples, remaining quiet. I _hated_ that. "Jasper," I whispered, reaching a hand out to stall one of his. He looked at me and sighed, entwining our fingers. I gasped at the feeling of his hand laced with mine, but didn't take my hand away. It felt too nice.

"I'm sorry, that was rude," he mumbled as he glanced quickly towards the door, "but they were taking up my time."

"How exactly? They were in here for what? Ten? Fifteen minutes? And what _time_?" I knew all I had said was in a question format, but he was being so… unreadable today.

He made sure his eyes were looking directly into mine before he spoke. "Alice, you have no idea what I went through yesterday. I went from being on top of the world because you finally called me Jasper and agreed to _be mine_," he smiled and I returned it as he took my other hand in his. "And then I went from on top of the world to falling into a ditch I couldn't get out of." He paused and I could tell this was hard for him.

"Seeing you lying there on the floor, Alice, it _broke_ me. I couldn't save you from what James had done to you. I couldn't be there to protect you, and the way you suffered, the way you're _suffering now_, I couldn't help. And when I brought you here, hearing what my father said as he examined you, it _hurt_." His eyes were getting watery and I reached up with my other hand to cup his cheek.

"And I didn't see your smile or your beautiful brown eyes the whole night," he swallowed thickly, "and when I get you back? They burst in and I can't even finish my sentence. You have no idea how frustrating that is, Alice."

"Jasper," I could feel my own eyes start to tear up, "did you mean all of that?" He nodded, turning his head into my hand as he placed a soft kiss to my palm.

"I meant every word of it, Darlin'." I nearly melted into the soft mattress on the bed. I could feel the tears start to roll down my cheeks. "Don't cry, Alice, please," he whispered, taking his hands away from mine to cup _my_ cheeks now as his thumbs brushed my tears away. The gesture was so caring; I just couldn't help but cry more.

"Jasper!" I heard a booming voice yell. I knew it could only belong to Emmett. I giggled as Jasper rolled his eyes, slowly retracting his hands from my face. "I'm coming up there, buddy boy, in three…two… now!"

The sound of Emmett running up the Cullen's stairs was deafening. He didn't waste a second either as he barged through the bedroom door.

"ALICE! YOU'RE ALIVE!" He yelled like a little kid as he ran over to me.

"God damn it, Emmett!" Jasper seethed. "Will you calm down?" He shot me a look before folding his hands in the traditional prayer gesture and raised his eyes to the Heavens.

"Oh Lord," he started, already sounding like a complete moron, "I'm sorry I'm so concerned for my friend's health. Please help her arrogant, over protective, stick-in-the-mud, self-appointed protector to see that I'm only concerned for her best interest. Amen."

I was in a fit of giggles as she listened to Emmett's prayer. Jasper rolled his eyes, corrected Emmett by saying that he was, in fact, _not _arrogant, and then proceeded to ask him what he wanted.

"I was actually here earlier," he pointed out, "I took care of your horse you ingrate. And I'm not alone, for your information." He paused dramatically before bellowing, "ROSIE!"

Rosalie poked her head around the door. "Rose!" I squealed; it was my turn to act like a child. She came in and hurried to my side, wrapping me in a soft embrace. "Why didn't you come in earlier?"

"Emmett told me to wait and I wanted to surprise you," she smiled. "Besides, I didn't want to come in here while he was making a fool of himself."

"Laughter is the best medicine!" Emmett quoted to his defense. I released a little chuckle at that.

"Rosalie," I said her name and she immediately looked at me, "does James know you've left the saloon?"

"Screw James!" Emmett interrupted. "He doesn't own you!"

Rosalie and I exchanged a quick glance before she spoke. "Technically, he _does_, Emmett," she said. His gaze grew hard.

"Well if that ain't a load o' bull. Ya work for 'em, he don't own ya none."

"Alice?" Jasper called my name and I returned my attention to him. "Is that true? I know he's your boss, but he _owns_ you?"

I swallowed, glancing at Rose. I closed my eyes and nodded slowly. I could feel Jasper's eyes burning as he stared at me. _He is so angry_, I thought, wishing Rosalie hadn't had said anything.

"Rosie, how in the _hell_ did he get 'ownership' over you girls?" Emmett seethed. I opened my eyes and glanced at Rosalie, seeing the hurt on her features. _She wouldn't tell… We'd made it a silent pact. _

Jasper looked at me intently before returning his gaze to Emmett. "Drop it, Emmett," he warned menacingly. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Uhm, church I suppose," he paused. "Rosie? You wanna go to Sunday Worship with me? Maybe God'll give me some ideas on how to kick James's ass. Maybe I could kick him the way God kicked the Devil outta Heaven!"

Rosalie and I shared a glance. We knew we weren't allowed in the church. The small church of the town was where we were baptized, spent long hours of Sunday School, and were confirmed, but now we've been shunned because of what our _parents_ did. We were kicked out of the one place that was supposed to be the backbone of the community, the _one true family_.

"What?" Emmett asked incredulously, glancing between Rose and me.

"Emmett, sometimes I think you're about as dump as a rock," Jasper stated. "Why don't you think a little bit before inviting people to things, okay?"

Emmett stared at Jasper dumfounded. He opened his mouth and then closed it back up. "Oh… _Oh_. I get it." He turned back to Rose and I before continuing his past rant. "Well then screw them too! C'mon Rosie, let's go anyway. Maybe it'll give old Mrs. Perkins a heart attack." He muttered, "It's about time that old bat died anyway."

Rosalie glanced at me and I gave her a curious look. I'd noticed something in the time that she and Emmett had been visiting. He'd called her _Rosie. Four _times. She _hated_ being called Rosie, though I'd never figured out why. It was either Rosalie or Rose. _I'm going to have to have a talk with her later._

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door. We turned and Mrs. Cullen stood there dressed in her Sunday best. She smiled at me, and then Rose and Emmett, before speaking.

"We're off to worship, Alice, dear," she explained. "If there's anything you need please don't hesitate to ask Jasper. I'm sure he'll be happy to help you." She chuckled, "Besides, what's another absence from Church on his already spotty record."

"_Mother_," Jasper groaned irritably, "I have to _work. _It's not always my fault."

"Any more misses and your attendance will look like Swiss cheese!" She scolded. "Emmett, are you joining us today, or are we going to miss out on that wonderful singing voice of yours?"

I don't know which surprised me more, the way Mrs. Cullen so playfully scolded Jasper, or the fact that Emmett had a 'wonderful singing voice'. I'd definitely be investigating the later one for sure.

"Rosie and I will be joining you," Emmett said as he laced his fingers together with Rosalie's. Mrs. Cullen's eyes lit up as she looked at Rosalie.

"Wonderful!" She exclaimed with delight, "Let's get a move on. We'll see you two later," she called over her shoulder as the three of them left the room.

I giggled hysterically causing Jasper to glance at me. "What are you laughing about?"

"Swiss cheese," I managed between giggles. Jasper shook his head, but I could see the smirk playing with his lips.

"My mother isn't very happy with certain attendance records of mine," he muttered. "But _she_ let me stay home this time, so it doesn't count. Besides, I have things to take care of," he smiled at me, his lips parting over two rows of seemingly perfect teeth.

"Really? Like what?" I teased. Something about hearing him say he would take care of me made me giddy. I'd never experienced this sort of feeling before and I liked how it made me respond.

"Well, there's the railroad plans I haven't finished," he started, "and then I have to check on my horse that provided our getaway last night. Even though Emmett said he took care of him, I still feel obligated to make sure he's alright. I have to run to the store to pick up a few things that should be in today…"

I crossed my arms over my chest. He'd figured out what I'd wanted him to say and now he wouldn't tell me what I wanted to hear. _Curses._ I pouted, _very maturely_, I might add. He reached out and cupped my chin, running his thumb across my protruding bottom lip.

"What's all this pouting for?" He asked with a chuckle. I huffed and attempted to roll my eyes, but the pain surrounding them made me stop. "I do have one other thing to do," he continued with that same smirk on his face, "I have to watch out for a certain little lady today."

I smiled, overly happy that he'd actually said he had to watch out for me. I don't know why I was so happy, I can't really explain it. Jasper just ignited this feeling inside of me.

"That must be a really hard job," I laughed watching as his face lit up.

"It's actually going to be my favorite thing today," he replied.

**Jasper POV**

I really wished I could've just stayed in Alice's presence all day, but that was impossible. I had things to do, places to go. I hated the fact that I wasn't a hermit at this moment.

I had decided that the railroad plans could wait another day. I mean, like I'd mentioned earlier, just because I finished the plans didn't mean the track-layers would do _their_ job. So that task was crossed off of my list. However, I still had to pick up my order from Andrew's, so I did that to get it over with.

The bells on the door chimed as I entered his establishment. Andrew waved from behind the register and I gave him acknowledgement back.

"Come for your order?" He asked with a smile. I nodded and proceeded to pull the payment from my pocket. "Martha just finished the bouquets, so let me go get them. The cloth is wrapped, I'll have that for you in a second also…" his voice trailed off as he disappeared through the door.

I stood leaning against the counter waiting for him to return. I eyed the jar of candy hearts and let a small smile cross my lips. They were officially my favorite candy. If I hadn't liked them before I'd used their magic on Alice, then I definitely liked them now.

Andrew returned through the swinging door, his arms packed full. He huffed as he set the two bouquets down along with my other items.

"Sorry, I should've offered to help," I told him, feeling bad as I took in his red face.

"Are you kidding? This isn't even half of what I have to deal with all day." As he rang up my purchases, he muttered, "Martha is worse than twelve hundred of these loads."

I laughed, though I'm not exactly sure why. Martha was Andrew's wife and the town gossiper. She even published her own column in the local paper. Not many people read it, but she found the need to bust everyone's' chops about their personal lives. Andrew didn't like gossip, he tried to talk her out of publishing several of her weekly columns, but alas, they got printed anyway.

"Don't ever get married, Jasper," he sighed, "it kills the soul and gives you premature gray hairs. Or, in my case, the hairs just decide to fall out all together." He chuckled humorlessly.

I shook my head at the man's reasoning. Surely balding was a genetic trait. And getting married didn't kill the soul; it joined two together and made it stronger, if anything. I could just see it now, Alice and I standing at the front of the alter saying our vows- _Whoa!_ _Slow down, Jasper. That's taking things a bit too far, don't you think?_

But I didn't think I was taking things too far. In fact, I knew that that was exactly what I wanted to do in my life. I wanted to marry Alice. I could think of nothing that could make me happier than being able to call her my wife.

"Jasper? Is that _really_ you?" I looked at Andrew, my eyes growing wide. He clenched his teeth together and gave me an apologetic look. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. _Good God. _

I turned around to face the owner of that sickly sweet voice. Eliza Olson stood behind me in a very tightly tailored blue dress. Her blonde hair was curled and held in a pin behind her head except for a few tendrils she'd left to frame her face. Her blue eyes were shining with excitement as she looked at me.

"Hello, Eliza," I said politely. She let a girlish squeal pass her lips before flinging herself in my direction and hugging the life out of me.

"I've missed seeing you! Have you been hiding from me?" She asked in a whispered voice. I quickly unraveled her arms from around my waist, already feeling uncomfortable. She looked at me with a slight pout as I stepped back.

"I've been busy," I muttered, shooting a harsh glare over my shoulder at Andrew.

"Oh, yes, working on the railroad. Those muscles of your must get lots of exercise swinging those heavy tools all day," she smirked, reaching out and grabbing a hold of my arm.

I pulled back just as she squeezed my bicep. "I don't work on the tracks, Eliza," I said, keeping my voice curt, "I draw up the plans."

She smiled and cooed, "What a prestigious position." I stopped myself from rolling my eyes like a child.

"I have to get going, Eliza," I said as she inched closer to me. "I have a previous engagement."

"Aw, that's really too bad, Jasper," she sighed sadly. "You know," she said, perking up, "there's a dance next Saturday. What do you say? Pick me up around seven?"

I shook my head, "Sorry, but I believe I'm already taken for that day." I really hoped I was taken. I hated lying to people.

"Oh well, maybe I'll see you there anyway," she smiled before turning around and walking back through the door that led into their house. She made sure to sway her hips as she left. I shook my head and turned back to Andrew.

"What was that?" I asked him. He looked down at the ground before mumbling his response.

"She heard me tell Martha that you were here to pick up your order. I'm sorry, Jasper, she doesn't listen," he said. I chewed on the inside of my cheek.

Eliza Olson was a girl in town who just couldn't seem to take 'no' for an answer. For years she had tried, much to her embarrassment in several incidents, to get me in her grasp. However, I had no intention of ever being more than acquaintances with her.

As Emmett had once put it, "She's more sluty than the girls at Bull's Head!"

However, that was _before_ we'd met Alice and Rosalie Hale.

"I just hope she doesn't get her hopes up about Saturday's dance," I groaned, my hands going to my temples. Once Eliza had an idea in her head, it was hard to get it out. That's one of the reason she hadn't given up on me even after the countless times I'd refused her advances.

"So you have a previous engagement, huh? Does it have to do with a certain lady by the name of Miss Alice?" He smiled at me and I shrugged oh-so-casually.

"Maybe, maybe not. I haven't asked," I told him, watching as he nodded slowly.

"Right." His demeanor changed as the bells on his shop door clanged. Slow, measured footsteps sounded on the wood floor. I turned around and was faced with the one person I really wanted to get my hands on.

James was standing in the shop, his face hard. He glared at me and held up the railroad tool I'd left at his place. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _My brain yelled at me.

"So," he growled, "it ain't just enough for you to take Alice for the whole damned day yesterday, you had to come back an' steal her too? An'," he chuckled dryly, "you made it a family affair. Takin' Rosalie with ya, how kind you are."

"_Steal _her? You talk about Alice like she's a piece of property!" He was already aggravating me and he hadn't been in my presence for more than a minute.

"'Cause she is. Got a contract that proves it." The conversation in Alice's room this morning flooded my memory. _"Screw James! He doesn't own you!" "Technically, he does…" _

"Jasper, James, let's not let emotions flood our judgments," Andrew tried to interfere.

"Aw, shuddup ol' man. Ya ain't got nothin' to do with this," James shot back.

"I will not stand by silently and watch a scuffle unfold that is bound to destroy my merchandise. Either take it outside, or drop it right now." Andrew didn't let up and I could see James was already losing his resolve. He clearly remembered what had happened at the saloon a few nights back and obviously wasn't ready to swap punches again. But the look in his eyes said he wasn't going down without some kind of fight either.

"I ain't goin' to fold," he said in true poker fashion. "I can sue you for breaking an' enterin', an' that's just what I plan to do." He laughed and waved the railroad tool in front of my face, "An' I'm keeping this here tool as evidence."

I watched him as he left the store, his head held high. He wanted to sue me? Let him go ahead and try.

"You're in some mighty deep trouble there, Jasper," Andrew said, coming around to hand me my parcels. I shrugged.

"Let him try, I have more arguments on my side than he has lice on his head," I scoffed, grabbed my parcels, and left the store.

There was definitely trouble brewing on the horizon.

**So there you go, chapter 6. I hope it gave you an idea of what is to come, **_**lots of trouble**_**. I have everything worked out though, so no worries. Stick around and read chapter 7, it'll be worth it.**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	7. Breathe

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**Thank you guys for every single review. I'm so happy that you guys like my story! T****his chapter does a little background on Alice for you. I hope I did her a justice. **

"Breathe, just breathe  
Take the world off your shoulders  
And put it on me."  
_Breathe _by Ryan Star

**Jasper POV**

As soon as I arrived back at my parents' house and disposed of my items, I sprinted up the stairs. I had left everything Alice could possibly need within her reach, but I had to make sure she was okay. I knocked on the door softly, and after hearing her acknowledgement, I allowed myself in.

Alice was sitting up in bed, the duvet bunched around her petite form as she read _A Tale of Two Cities_, one of the books I had left for her. She looked up at me and smiled and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Howdy stranger," she giggled as I made my way to sit on her bed.

"I was gone for an hour and already you call me a stranger? James must've hit you harder than I thought." I looked at her and immediately regretted the way that had sounded. Her face was morphed into a look of shock and I felt a terrible guilty feeling in my gut. "Oh God, Alice. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

"I-it's alright, Jasper," she stumbled so it obviously was _not _alright.

"I swear I did not mean it, Alice. I-," I sighed, "I don't know what I meant." My hands flew to my temples and I started to massage at them lightly. _Smooth, Whitlock. You've screwed up _again_, _my thoughts scolded me.

"Jasper, it's alright," she tried again. I relaxed a little bit as I felt her hands clasp around one of mine to stall my movements. "Look at me?" She pleaded and I caved. I turned my eyes upon her face and she gave me a worried frown.

"What's gotten into you? You're not… like you were when you left…" her voice tapered off as she spoke. I attempted a smirk to aid with my next smart comment, but neither one of them seemed to want to make themselves more than mere thoughts. "Jasper, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." _Did that sound fake to you too, or just me? Pathetic, Whitlock. You're a terrible liar._

"I wish you'd just tell me what I did so I could fix it," she mumbled, her hands dropping to her sides and her chin resting against her chest. _See? You're an idiot Whitlock._

"Alice, why do you think _you've_ done something?" She looked up at me from under her lashes and shrugged.

"Because it's always my fault," I heard a faint mumble. I was taken aback by her words. It was _always her fault?_ _Who makes someone feel like that? Who puts the world on someone's shoulders? Who gives that person the right to put the world on someone's shoulders?_

"Nothing's your fault," I tried to tell her, but I knew my attempt was in vain as soon as her head started swaying back and forth.

"_Everything_'_s_ _my fault_. It's _always my fault_," she continued. I could hear the beginnings of a sob in her voice.

"Alice, look at me," I tried to get her to look at me under her own free will, but that wasn't working. So, I cupped her chin in my pointer and middle finger and brought her eyes to mine. "You didn't do anything to make me upset, understand?"

She pressed her lips together before speaking, "No, Jasper. _You _need to understand." She took a shaky breath, "My parents had Rosalie, and that was fine. But they wanted a son next and got me instead. My mother had some complication after giving birth to me, so she was unable to have any more children. If I had been a boy, that would've been fine, but no, I had to be a girl. My dad told me it was _my fault_.

"I guess I also had too much energy when I was little. My mother always said she was afraid to invite anyone over because of my hyper activity. She said it was _my fault_ she couldn't have her friends over. It was _my fault_ she became a social outcast.

"My parents always wanted us to be the best of the best in school, but I couldn't be like that. I guess it was my hyper activity, but I couldn't quite concentrate on school. I didn't fail, I just didn't get the kinds of grades they wanted. So it was _my fault_ that they couldn't brag about their children's achievements.

"My mother also told me it was _my fault_ I wasn't a pretty as some of the other girls in town. _'Why can't you just be pretty like Rosalie?'_ was what I heard growing up. It was even worse when she compared me to girls besides Rosalie. _'Why can't you just be as pretty as Velma Darby? Or Laura Trainer? Or Eliza Olson?' _It was a never ending comparison contest between my mother and everyone else. And it was _my fault_ I wasn't as pretty as them.

"When Rosalie and I turned sixteen, our parents sold us to James-" She stopped suddenly and glanced at me with worried eyes. "I-I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

I was frozen. She had just unloaded her life to me, and now she was apologizing for telling me her parents sold her to James? I don't know which part of that disgust me more. The fact that her parents could sell their daughters was disgusting enough, but the fact that James bought them like they were everyday purchases? That was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Alice," I swallowed before continuing, trying to keep my anger in check, "I'm going to tell you some things, and I want you to listen to me _very_ carefully." She nodded her head and I made sure I was looking straight into her eyes as I told her what I had to say.

"It is _not_ your fault that you weren't the son your parents wanted. It is _not_ your fault that your mother injured herself. Your energy is what makes you unique. There could never be a dull moment around you. If all that mattered to your parents was your school achievements, then they obviously missed out on everything else that you have done right. And as for comparing you to the other girls in town? I'll tell you honestly that since I have met you, I have not taken a second look at any girl in town. Not _one_."

Tears started to spill down her cheeks. _Second time you've made her cry today, Whitlock. Things are not going smoothly!_

"And," I continued because I couldn't help myself, "I for one am glad you were born, because had you not been, I couldn't have fallen in love with you." I saw Alice's eyes widen in shock as she reached a hand up to cover her mouth. _Goddamn it, Whitlock! Can you not do _anything_ right? _"Alice, I'm sorry. That wasn't supposed to be how I told you. God I'm an idiot. I'm sorry, Alice."

She wrapped her little hands around mine and held onto them. "Do _not_ apologize for loving me. _Ever._" She leaned up slowly and pressed her lips to my cheek. Not willing to let the opportunity pass, I turned my head seconds before she moved back and pressed my lips gently to hers.

**Alice POV**

He moved so fast I had no time to react before his lips were pressed to mine. The feeling was overwhelming. If I had thought his lips on my hand had made me fly, his lips against my lips made me soar. He quite literally took my pain away. In that moment, he filled my heart with all of the love that had been missing for the entirety of my life prior, and I also couldn't feel the slightest pain from my injuries.

But just as fast as he'd made his move, he pulled back. I actually _whimpered_ from the loss of contact. His forehead pressed to mine as he spoke and his lips where a mere whisper above me, "I've wanted to do that for a long time, Alice."

I smiled as I looked into his eyes, seeing that he had meant his sentence with the utmost seriousness. "You shouldn't have kept me waiting then," I giggled breathlessly. He let a lazy smile cross his face before leaning down to brush his lips against mine one more time.

"I'm sorry, Darlin'," he whispered.

"Aww, Roise, look at 'em! So sweet!"

I froze in complete embarrassment. _Oh God. How long had they been standing there? Oh God…._ Jasper closed his eyes and inhaled slowly before turning around to face Emmett and Rosalie who were standing in the doorway. I peered at them over Jasper's shoulder as he turned around.

Emmett had a beaming smile on his face. His grin literally stretched from ear to ear. Rosalie on the other hand looked quite shocked. She made sure to catch my eye over Jasper's shoulder and I knew we'd be talking about this.

"Emmett," Jasper's voice was calm and measured, "how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you finally got some lip action, buddy boy!" Emmett said gleefully. I felt my face flush in embarrassment. _Dear Lord, why me?_

"Emmett, I am going to give you to the count of three to leave my presence," Jasper's voice had not changed in tonality at all. I was actually a little frightened.

"I thought we were supposed to exchange manly backslaps and talk about-"

"_Emmett! _Out. Now."

I watched as Emmett turned on his heel, muttering who knows what as he left the doorway. Jasper closed his eyes. I reached out a tentative hand ran my fingers through his silky blonde hair. I could feel him start to relax under my touch.

He kept his eyes closed, but mumbled, "Why are you doing this, Alice?"

I combed my fingers through his hair, scrapping my nails lightly along his scalp. "I've seen you massage your temples several times when you were aggravated, but since I can't exactly massage your temples with the way I'm sitting, I figured I'd do this instead…"

"Hmm," he hummed as I re-combed my fingers through his hair. "I think I might like this better."

We were both startled when Emmett loudly announced, "The Doctor and Missus Cullen are here! Don't get in over your head lover boy!"

Jasper groaned and muttered some sort of threat. I could hear the giggles from Mrs. Cullen and was mortified.

"You think he'd have a smidgen of conscious thought in that huge head of his," Jasper ground out. My cheeks were as hot as irons, but I managed to laugh anyway.

"You think Emmett's embarrassing you? You should worry about what your father said earlier today. I think _that_ was more embarrassing." Jasper gave me a curious look.

"What did my father say?"

"That I should call him Carlisle because 'everyone else in the family does'," I said, laughing as Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I suppose that's worse," he conceded.

"Jasper? Alice? Is it safe to come up?" Mrs. Cullen's voice called from the stairwell. Jasper shook his head and mumbled.

"Yes, mother!" He hollered back to her. I could hear her soft footsteps on the stairs as she made her way up them.

She poked her head around the door and smiled. "Emmett just warned us about some new lovebirds, so I decided to check before I came up."

I blushed. _Thanks Emmett. I'll be sure to send you a card._

"Mother, nothing happened," Jasper told her. She just nodded, obviously not believing a word of it.

"Sure. Just know this, Jasper Whitlock, if you make me a grandmother before you have a ring on some girl's finger, I'll…I'll… Well, I figure out something to do!"

"Mother! Enough." He turned to me and mouthed 'sorry'.

"Anyway, Alice, dear, now onto you. How are you feeling?" Mrs. Cullen turned her attention towards me. Her eyes squinted a little bit as they traveled from my head down to my cloth covered toes. "My dear, you look positively flushed. Are you feeling warm? Should I call Carlisle in to come take your temperature?"

"N-no, that won't be necessary. I'm actually feeling quite fine," I stuttered under her gaze. She nodded her head slowly, approvingly.

"Right, of course." She continued in a slightly different tone, less serious for sure, "I'm making supper tonight, do you think you'll be able to join us?"

I shifted in the bed, trying to gage the intensity of the pain. It hurt, but not as much as this morning.

"I've had worse," I said slowly. "I think I could make it down the stairs." She gave me a kind smile and patted Jasper's shoulder.

"Good. I'm sure I'll have it done in an hour or two. All his favorites," she laughed as she continued to pat his shoulder. "Can I get you anything in the mean time?" I shook my head and she dismissed herself to start on supper.

"You don't have to go downstairs, you know. I'd be more than happy to eat up here with you," Jasper said, grinning a lopsided grin. I shook my head furiously, immediately wishing I hadn't. "You shouldn't do that if you have a concussion," Jasper told me sternly.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to go down and eat with your family, though. I couldn't ask for them to have to bring food up to me. I'm not a charity case, you know," I stated firmly. I _wasn't _a charity case. I could handle myself. I had since I was sixteen.

"No one said you were a charity case, Alice," Jasper said sternly. "You're an independent woman. Not to mention courageous, strong, smart, and very beautiful." He leaned in and placed a sweet kiss to my forehead.

Could this man make me melt anymore than I already had?

True to her word, Mrs. Cullen called everyone for supper almost three hours later. Jasper helped me out of bed, but upon realizing how sore I still was, decided it was best if he carried me downstairs. I didn't complain one iota. In fact, it felt good to be in Jasper's arms. I felt secure with his strong arms wrapped around my body as I was pressed to his chest. And it wasn't the least bit awkward or uncomfortable.

That was, until we made it down the stairs.

And Emmett saw our position and stated, "Aw, lovebirds couldn't let go of each other for even the descend of the stairs."

To which Mrs. Cullen intercepted by swatting him quickly on his head with a serving tool and as he let out a yelp she scolded, "Just because you aren't my biological son doesn't mean I don't have the right to discipline you, Emmett McCarty. You've been to enough of my family meals for you to be about as much of a son to me as Jasper, so don't think I won't put you in your place." She shook the serving tool in front of his face as he nodded furiously.

As soon as Jasper and I were seated and order was resorted, the meal officially started. Doctor Cullen started it by saying grace before Esme served the food, with a clean serving tool. Rosalie kept glancing at me from her seat across the table from Emmett.

"We're so glad you could join us for supper, Alice," Doctor Cullen said after swallowing a bite of his meal.

"I'm glad you would have me," I smiled at him and Mrs. Cullen.

"Nonsense, dear. We've been feeding Emmett for years," Mrs. Cullen said, jabbing her fork in Emmett's direction, "and you don't eat half of what he eats."

Emmett proudly patted his stomach and announced, "Yep, so eat up now, 'cause there won't be any leftovers!"

I took another bite of my food feeling awkward for some reason. The Cullens seemed so welcoming and friendly, something I wasn't used to.

The suppers I had growing up were nothing like this. My father usually yelled at my mother for not making something-or-another and my mother would yell at Rose and I saying that if _we _just learned to cook, she wouldn't have to do it all on her own. Suppers growing up usually consisted of little to no conversation. A muttered, "pass the peas" or "hand me the potatoes" was usually all that was said.

However the Cullens had supper in a totally different manner. Everyone talked, there was no complaining from _anyone_ (least of all me or Rose), joking went on (mainly starting with Emmet), and even though everyone was dressed up (except for me still being in the silk nightgown Mrs. Cullen lent me) it was a very casual, family oriented time.

I felt something hit my lap and I looked down. A single green pea rested on the fabric covering my thighs. I looked up and Jasper mouthed, "You okay?"

I nodded, giving him a faint smile. _I'm a complete fool. How long have I been staring off into space? God I'm such an idiot._ I continued to yell at myself before another pea landed in my lap. I giggled quietly at Jasper's childish antics.

Looking up again, I made eye contact with him. He started to mouth something before Mrs. Cullen interrupted.

"Jasper," she started in a serious tone, "how long have you been in this house?"

"Since I was born, mother," he answered. His voice held a tone of questioning, like he was trying to decipher the purpose to her question.

"Mhmm," she hummed, "and how many years, out of all of your twenty five, have I encouraged playing with your food?"

Emmett guffawed, Rosalie snickered, Doctor Cullen cleared his throat, and I blushed. They'd all obviously seen the little exchange.

"Not one, mother," he admitted as he held her gaze.

"Right. I'm not keen on starting a food-tossing competition today, so if you would please keep your vegetables out of Alice's lap, it'd be much appreciated," she remained completely serious through that whole sentence.

Emmett was choking with laughter, Rosalie was doing her best to not laugh out loud, and Doctor Cullen resumed eating, pretending that nothing had happened. Mrs. Cullen raised her eyebrows pointedly at Jasper before she resumed eating as well.

I couldn't eat. I'd officially lost my appetite for the evening. I was absolutely mortified. Pushing my plate to my right, I offered what was left to Emmett, who greedily took the offer.

"M-May I be excused?" I asked, not wanting to leave the table without permission. After all, it was their house.

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Cullen said, her sweet smile spread across her face as she nodded permission.

"Thank you," I said as I vacated my place at the table.

I hurried up the stairs and back to the room I had stayed in. Closing the door behind me, I breathed a sigh. Hurrying up the stairs was definitely not the best idea. As I leaned against the door, my sides were throbbing.

I made my way over to the bed and sat down. Being curious, I wondered just how bad my injuries were. Slowly, cautiously, I inched the nightgown up length of my legs. There were no marks along my thighs, but as I inched the skirt higher, I noticed a few bruises on my hips. The blue-black coloring of the bruises stood out strikingly against my pale skin. I gingerly traced the edges of a few of them, wincing as I realized even the lightest touch to a few of them brought me pain.

Curious still, I stood up and made my way over to the big mahogany vanity in the room. The vanity held a large mirror on top of it. As I looked at myself in the mirror, several thoughts ran through my head. Not too many of them were pleasant.

Slowly I inched the silk gown up my legs again, but the bruises there were already familiar territory. I continued pushing the fabric higher and higher. I stopped, the fabric ending its travel northwards under my bust.

I gasped at the image of myself being reflected to me. Turning in front of the mirror, I cringed. _How could one man do all of this?_ My sides were covered in bruises. They looked like ink stains spread across a fresh sheet of paper. I touched one with the hand that wasn't holding up the nightgown and cringed again. Each one was tender and each one of them brought back memories from the previous night.

I moved the gown up farther, seeing the same kind of bruises all along my chest. I probably received them from falling unconscious on the dirt floor. I had fell face first, if my memory is correct.

Various bruises shaped like fingers covered my arms and shoulders; there were even a few on my wrist. Each one brought back the memory of James's anger. I felt sick seeing them covering my body; it was as if he'd marked me in his own sick, twisted way.

"Alice?" Jasper called my name a moment before the door opened. I hurriedly tried to yank the nightgown over my body again.

I spun around and was met by Jasper's curious glance. I blushed, realizing he must've seen me in my indecent state.

"Why aren't you in bed? Please don't stay on your feet anymore than absolutely necessary," he pleaded with me. I nodded shyly and went back over to sit on the bed. "I have something for you," he continued as he slowly made his way over to my side.

I glanced up at him and noticed that his hands were hidden behind his back. I raised my eyebrows and waited for what he had to give me.

"Well, first there are these," he reveled a beautiful bouquet of purple eustomas and baby's breath. I took the bunch gingerly in my hand and smelled the flowers. Normally, eustomas don't have that much of a smell, but the fragrance to the ones in this bouquet were heavenly.

I started to question the bouquet, "Why-"

"I had already planned on getting you a bouquet when you agreed to join me for dinner. Since you did, in fact, have dinner with me, I figured I'd give them to you anyway," he explained quickly.

"Why eustomas and baby's breath?" I asked out of curiosity.

"The eustomas I can't really explain, I just saw them and thought they suited you. But, the baby's breath… you do know the meaning behind that flower, right?" When I shook my head he continued, "They mean innocence or pure heart. I thought they suited you."

I scoffed. Right, _innocence._

"Hey," Jasper touched his free hand to my cheek, "tell me what you're thinking?"

"I'm laughing at the idea of innocence and me being in anyway close," I said. For some reason I could not look in his eyes when I said that.

"Alice, I picked them for a reason. I picked them because they _do_ sum up you. And I don't _ever_ want to hear you degrade yourself again, am I clear?"

I nodded, still not making eye contact with him. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. Now I have something else," he said. I returned my attention back to him slowly as he placed a brown paper package in my lap. He gingerly took the flowers from my hand so I could open the package.

"What is it?" I asked. I was worried he had spent too much on me. I knew I'd never be able to pay him back for any of the things he'd done for me in the past twenty four hours.

"Humor me and just open it," he instructed. I pulled on the string that held the packaging together. Once the wrapping paper was out of the way a white box sat in my lap. I removed the lid and smiled when I realized it was the cloth I'd forgotten to get from him.

"Thank you," I told him as I pulled the cloth out from the box. I frowned when I realized there was more. "You didn't-" I couldn't even finish my sentence.

"Let's be honest Alice, you are tiny, but the amount of fabric you purchased wouldn't even make a decent skirt. I just enhanced your, or well _my_, purchase a little bit." I didn't say anything as I fingered the fabric. "You're not mad, are you?"

I shook my head slowly. "No. Thank you, Jasper, for this… for everything."

"Alice, please look at me," he begged. I glanced at him and he said, "Tell me what you're thinking. You're not happy, are you?"

I shook my head, "No! No, I'm happy… I just… Well, I know I'll never be able to pay you back for _any_ of this." I pressed my lips together and returned to fingering the fabric gently. I still couldn't believe he had done all this for me.

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't look away from me, Alice," Jasper corrected me by cupping my chin and brining my eyes back to his. "All I want in return is for you to be happy. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy and safe. I love you, Alice," he said sincerely.

"I love you too, Jasper," I smiled at my admission as he leaned in a placed a tender kiss to my lips.

**So, cliché ending, but who cares. My best friend and I are hopeless romantics. Anyhow, please review and tell me what you think! This isn't even the start of the drama!**

**Thanks for reading! I love you all!**

**Sammie'sgirl**


	8. Lady In Red

**Disclaimer: **I am **not** **SM**. **She owns Twilight and** **all** the **characters**. I'm simply here because I like to have fun with them!

**Thank you guys for every single review! I am so sorry I didn't get to respond to them for last chapter! Each one makes me smile because you guys take the time to press that little button and say a few words. **

**I apologize for the lateness of this update. RL has interfered, I know. I'll keep posting until the story is finished, no need to worry.**

**Through the glory of fanfiction time-travel, I am skipping ahead to the Saturday of the dance.**

"I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight,  
I've never seen you shine so bright,  
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance,  
They're looking for a little romance, given half a chance…  
The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek,  
There's nobody here, it's just you and me,  
It's where I want to be...  
And when you turned to me and smiled, it took my breath away,  
And I have never had such a feeling,  
Such a feeling of complete and utter love, as I do tonight."**  
**_The Lady In Red_ by Chris De Burgh **  
**

**Alice POV**

I had stayed at the Cullens' home for a week now. Not wanting to be a burden, I had offered to return to my home, which they still didn't know was a room at the saloon. But, Mrs. Cullen wouldn't hear of my 'nonsense' and insisted that I stay with them.

Surprisingly James hadn't tried to get in contact with me once. I didn't know if that fact put me more at ease or made me more nervous. Had he given up on me, or was he plotting a revenge beyond my wildest nightmares?

"Alice, dear, are you okay?"

I snapped my attention back to Mrs. Cullen and our task at hand. I was helping her do the laundry, despite her protests.

"Yes, fine," I answered a little too quickly. She gave me a skeptical look and started washing another article of clothing.

"You've been ringing out that shirt of Jasper's for a good five minutes," she so kindly informed me, "are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm just…" I paused, trying to find my words, "worried, I guess. But it's nothing, Esme, I'm fine."

"Alice, if you are concerned over _anything_, I want you to tell me. We're here to help you, dear," Mrs. Cullen told me. I nodded as I hung up Jasper's shirt.

"It's just the whole situation with James," I sighed as I turned to grab another shirt out of the basket. "I mean, he hasn't even tried to contact me, and I guess that just increases my worries. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you and Carlisle or Jasper."

"Nothing has happened so far, so we'll cross that bridge when we get there," she told me in a calm voice. "We'll take care of you, Alice, don't worry about us. Right now you're the one who needs the concern."

"Thank you, Esme, so very much."

She set down her laundry and embraced me in a hug. Mrs. Cullen had been more of a mother to me in the past week than my own mother had been to me my whole life. I hugged her back, wanting to show her without words how much I was thankful.

We returned to our work after a few moments. She made a disapproving sound as she held up the vest Jasper had worn that night in the saloon. "My son doesn't think of his clothes at all. This vest is stained mercifully."

"He wasn't thinking of himself that night, Esme," I told her. That night was permanently etched into my memory. I would never forget the events that transpired in the saloon.

"Oh, believe me, I've heard several different versions of the story; I know he wasn't thinking of his clothes," she said with a laugh. "I have to take this load of laundry inside, Alice, but I'll be back. You should take a break," she advised, lifting a basket of clothes before heading back towards the porch of her house.

_Take a break, right_. I continued doing the laundry she had left. Hardly anything was mine, except for the things she had let me borrow. However today I was wearing my simple white dress that I had arrived here in. It was comfortable and light, a great choice to do chores in.

I grabbed another shirt and hung it on the line. Mrs. Cullen had insisted I was a guest and I shouldn't be doing chores, but I felt the need to do them. Everyone made sure I wasn't feeling obligated to do chores, and I wasn't. I just wanted to do something because I'd been living here for a whole week.

I was bent over the basket, grabbing a quilt, when I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. I smiled knowing immediately it was Jasper.

"I missed you last night," he murmured as he kissed my neck. I shivered at the huskiness of his voice. Last night was the first night Jasper had actually slept at his own house. Every other night during the past week he'd stayed at the Cullens' house. Granted he slept in his own room here, but we usually stayed up late talking and just enjoying each other's company.

I stood up slowly and turned around to face him. "I missed you, too," I smiled as I leaned up to place a kiss on his lips.

"Good," he chuckled. "Come for a walk with me?" He pleaded with those unbelievably gorgeous blue eyes of his.

"I would, but I have to finish the laundry," I told him as I gestured to the baskets of clothes.

"No you don't," he insisted, grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him. I struggled, trying to pull my hand free from his grip.

"Jasper! Seriously! I need to help your mother finish the laundry!" I took a step back and gave a mighty yank, which only ended in me nearly falling flat on my butt. Jasper caught me using his other hand before I even grazed the ground.

"Will you stop fighting me?" He laughed, tugging on both of my arms.

"I'm not fighting… I just have to help your mother finish the laundry. I told her I'd help," I said. He shook his head and I shrugged. I wasn't going to back out from a promise, and he couldn't stop me. I turned around and started walking back to the laundry line.

I got a few feet before I felt the ground rush out from under me as I was scooped up into a strong pair of arms. "I want to go on a walk with you. Will you just give me ten minutes?" He whispered in my ear causing me to shudder against him for the second time.

I nodded mutely as he turned and carried me out of the main backyard. I had never been this far back onto the Cullens' property, so I took time to study the landscape. Jasper stopped after we were completely out of sight of the house.

"Is something wrong, Jasper?" I asked as I noticed the nice hole he was making in the grass with the tip of his shoe.

"Not wrong… I just wanted to ask you something," he said. At my nod he continued, "There's a dance coming up… this Saturday. And I was wondering if maybe you'd want to come with me?"

"Are you asking to be my escort?" I asked him. He shrugged and gave a slight nod.

"Yes, I suppose that's what I'm asking." Before I could answer he got a terrified look on his face. "If you don't want to go, I can understand. If dancing isn't something you enjoy anymore, I get it. We'll do something else, really."

"Jasper, relax," I told him. I reached out and put a steady hand on his forearm. "The dancing I did is a lot different than what you're asking me to do. Besides, I don't think I'd mind dancing with you…"

"You_ 'don't think'_ you'd mind?" Jasper quickly wrapped his arm around mine and pulled me towards him. I squeaked in shock from the sudden movement. He wrapped one arm around my waist and clutched my hand in his. I instinctively placed my other hand around his shoulder. Just because I'd grown up saloon dancing didn't mean I didn't know how to do a proper waltz.

I laughed a little bit, "Okay, okay. I'd like to dance with you. I'd like to go with you."

"Good," he chuckled before swinging me around in a half circle. I thought for a moment before realizing all the bad things that could happen at this dance.

"What if someone sees us together?" I asked worriedly.

"That's generally the point of going somewhere together," he replied. I frowned and he looked at me with concern. "What's wrong, Alice?"

"What if someone sees us and something happens… What if someone sees _you_ with _me_ and it ruins your good name? What if-"

"Alice, calm down," Jasper said. He held my hand and used his thumb to rub soothing circles on the back of it. "I'm sure nothing drastic is going to happen. And as for my 'good name'?" He scoffed, "It's not as good as you may believe." I gave him a questioning look but he brushed it off and changed the subject. "Any other questions?"

"Will I know anyone else that's going to be there?" I asked, hoping I wasn't going to stand out too much, but in a town as small and close knit as ours, it was nearly impossible to hope that.

"Well, I'm not positive," Jasper started, "but I'm pretty sure Emmett is asking Rosalie to join him."

"No way," I exclaimed. Jasper shrugged.

"Like I said, I'm not positive," he repeated, "but I'd be willing to bet he does. He seems quite taken with that sister of yours."

"Everyone usually is," I sighed.

"Alice, look at me," Jasper commanded. I raised my gaze slightly to look him in the eyes. "You are very beautiful, and anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves. Believe me?" I nodded slightly. "I have to go, but I'll be back to get you for the dance. I love you," he said before leaning in and placing a tender kiss to my lips.

I nodded and he walked through the backyard a different way than we had come. I turned and headed back towards their main backyard to help finish the laundry. Mrs. Cullen hadn't arrived back yet, so I resumed hanging up the clothes.

Each dress of Mrs. Cullen's that I hung on the line reminded me of how plain my wardrobe was. A sudden, terrifying thought ran through my mind. _What would I wear to the dance? _My wardrobe consisted of my one white dress and my saloon outfits… neither really proper for this occasion.

I had finished putting everything on the line before I heard the back door swing open.

"Alice, dear," Mrs. Cullen padded down the porch steps, "I told you, you could take a break!" She scolded as she crossed the yard to me and took the empty basket from my hands. "Not that I don't appreciated the help," she said with an appreciative smile. Her smile quickly faded and it was replaced by a confused look. "What's the matter, dear?"

I realized she must've detected my worry about my outfit options for the dance. I figured I could be honest with her, after all she had been nothing but nice to me. I took a deep breath.

"Jasper invited me to go with him to a dance tonight… but I don't have anything proper to wear." I pressed my lips together in embarrassment.

"Oh, Alice, dear, you have nothing to be embarrassed about! I'll help you! It'll be fun, I promise," she smiled at me in a completely maternal way as she wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me into their house.

Doctor Cullen was sitting on the davenport reading a book. He glanced up at us as we entered.

"Hello, ladies," he said with a smile.

"Carlisle, Jasper invited Alice to the dance tonight," Mrs. Cullen beamed next to me.

"Did he now?" Doctor Cullen asked with raised eyebrows. "That's wonderful, Alice. I'm very happy for you."

"Thank you, Carlisle," I smiled, trying to hide the blush on my cheeks.

"I'm taking her upstairs to get her ready," Mrs. Cullen announced.

"But, dear, we have hours until the dance. What could possibly take you that long?" He asked as he set his book down beside him.

"It takes time to become proper, Carlisle," Mrs. Cullen said.

"Well, don't hurt the poor girl," he said with a gentle smile in my direction.

"Carlisle, that's absurd," she said as she took my hand in hers and started to lead me out of the room. "We'll be ready, don't worry."

"I have no doubts about it, dear," I heard Doctor Cullen say as we started to ascend the stairs.

"Any idea on what you would like to wear, Alice?" Mrs. Cullen asked me as we entered her master chambers. I watched as she walked over to her closet and pulled the doors apart. Beautiful dresses of ever color hung on the support rod. I stood in the center of the room as I watched her examine dresses before pushing them off to the side.

"I have no idea, Esme," I said quietly. She hummed softly in response as she looked over a dress. I watched as she ran a gentle hand over the front of it.

"I think this one will do quite nicely for you," she said as she brought the dress out and laid it down on the bed. It was a beautiful rose color with a flowing skirt.

"A-are you serious? I could never…" I hesitated as I looked over the dress once more.

"Oh, nonsense! It will look absolutely stunning on you! Please, do me a favor and try it on?" Mrs. Cullen picked it up and held it out to me. "I haven't worn it myself in ages and I'd love to see what it looks like after all this time."

I took the dress in my hands and marveled at the material it was made out of. _Silk_. Unlike anything I could ever afford.

"Uhm, do I just…" I gestured at the door.

"I'll go out and you can change in here. If you need me, call," and with that Mrs. Cullen walked to the door and stepped out of the room.

I laid the dress back down on the bed and shrugged out of my plain white one. I laid my dress on the back of Mrs. Cullen's vanity chair before reaching out once more for the red dress. I slipped it on over my head and it seemed to flow down the length of my body. The soft silky material had a very different feel against my skin then what I was used to. I liked it. I spun around in front of her full length mirror feeling more elegant than I ever had.

I attempted to button up the back of the dress, succeeding in only buttoning the first button into the second hole no matter which way I twisted my wrist.

"Uhm, E-Esme?" I called for Mrs. Cullen, completely embarrassed because I could not fully dress myself. There was a soft knock on the door before Mrs. Cullen entered.

"Oh, it looks positively beautiful on you!" She crossed the room and stood in front of me. Taking my hands in hers, she spread my arms out so she could get a better look. "That color is beautiful on you. A lot more complimentary for you than it ever was for me. Spin," she said as she dropped my arms. I pressed my lips together and spun around slowly, anxiously awaiting her next words.

"Don't you wear a corset, Alice?" She asked once I was facing her again. I shook my head slowly.

"Never had a need to, really…. The dresses at the-" I cleared my throat, "at my work are usually already fit."

"Well this one is not," she said. "We have to bring out that lovely figure of yours underneath all this fabric." She walked over to a chest of drawers on the other side of the room and started to rummage through one of the top ones. "Here," she said as she pulled a white corset from the drawer, "this one is smaller. It should fit you nicely."

"I have no idea how to even put it on," I admitted a bit sheepishly.

"It's not exactly like you could put one on yourself anyway," she explained as she came back to stand next to me. "Remove the top of the dress off of your shoulders and I'll help you."

I took my arms out of my sleeves and pushed them off of my shoulders. I gasped and inhaled sharply as Mrs. Cullen wrapped the corset around my waist.

"Hold that breath in!" She commanded as she began to pull tightly at the strings. The corset tightened around my waist in a most suffocating manner. The metal inside of the fabric pulled tighter and tighter against my sides. I was growing increasingly thankful that my ribs had healed. "Alice," Mrs. Cullen's voice was taught with concentration as she pulled harder on the ever tightening strings, "bend over and place your hands on the bed."

I did as I was instructed. This position allowed for Mrs. Cullen to get the corset to constrict around my waist even more.

"Esme!" I gasped, releasing the breath I'd been holding since she first put the corset around my waist. "I can't breathe!"

"Short, shallow breaths," she said as she started to lace up the corset. I huffed and puffed as if it had been I who had had the task of tightening the torture devise around my abdomen. "One more tug, Alice, and it'll be done, I promise." I nodded and braced myself for the final tug. It came and went in a second and I was relieved when I heard her finish the last tie on the corset. "There, all done," she announced finally.

I sat up and was surprised at how straight my figure was now. The metal around my sides had not only succeeded in giving me a more hourglass figure but had also succeeded in straightening my posture.

"Now, put your arms back into those sleeves and let me button you up," she instructed. I did as I was told and she began to button the back of the dress. After she was finished, she turned me to face the mirror. "What do you think?"

I, for one, could not believe that the woman looking back at me was the same one I had seen covered in bruises a week ago. I looked different, less like a saloon girl and more like a member of a prominent family.

"Esme…it's…I look…wow…" I couldn't even process my thoughts. I was stunned. I ran one of my hands along the side of the dress, following the inward curve of my abdomen and then ending on a slight outward curve with my hip.

"It's beautiful. You look lovely, my dear," she smiled behind me. "Now, let's work on the rest of you."

For the rest of the time leading up to the dance, Esme primped and primed me to perfection. Once she was done with me she got herself ready quite quickly. I was amazed at how fluidly she seemed to move around and prepare herself.

From her master bedroom we could hear the front door open and the voices of two men from downstairs. She gave me a knowing smile and a nod.

"That would be your escort," she laughed. I looked at the bedroom door and waited hesitantly for her next instruction. For some reason I still felt uneasy in their house, and even though I'd been treated as more than a guest, I still felt that I should wait for one of them to tell me what to do. "Go, Alice," she instructed.

I opened her bedroom door slowly and walked out into the hall. From the top of the stairway I could see Dr. Cullen and Jasper conversing in the parlor. I could see the back of Jasper. He was wearing a tailored black suit and dark shoes, the outfit looked expensive in itself.

I pushed past my nervousness and started to descend the stairs. Since Carlisle was facing the stairway he saw me first and smiled, thus prompting Jasper to turn around. Jasper took one look at me and a breathtaking smile lit up his handsome face. He walked to the bottom of the stairs and reached out for me just as I stopped on the landing.

"Hello, Darlin'," he said as his right arm wrapped around my waist to bring me closer to him. "You look stunning," he whispered before pressing a light kiss to my forehead.

"Thank you," I blushed as I received the compliment. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"What? This old thing…" Jasper gave me a wink to show he was joking.

"Did I do well, Jasper?" Mrs. Cullen asked as she descended the stairs in her gold colored gown.

"Absolutely, mother," Jasper smiled, his eyes never leaving my face.

"Is the carriage ready, Carlisle?" Mrs. Cullen asked of Carlisle.

"It is ready and waiting for you two lovely ladies," he answered with an outstretched hand to escort Mrs. Cullen out of the house.

"Wonderful. Let's go," she said as they departed through the front door, her dress swaying behind her.

"You do look lovely, Alice," Jasper said. He reached one of his hands up and gingerly touched my cheek.

"It was all your mother's doing. I'd be lost if she hadn't shown me," I admitted.

"But you were already beautiful before she touched you," he said, leaning down this time to place a kiss on my lips. "So beautiful," he murmured, kissing me again. His arms encircled my waist, gripping me tighter than the corset was.

"W-we should…get out there…" I managed to tell him in between his kisses.

"Maybe I don't want to go to some dance anymore," he said. A look of burning intensity seemed to darken his blue eyes.

"Jasper, we can't skip out on it now. You're mother went through all of this trouble to make me look decent enough to be seen with you, now we are going," I said. I gave him a shove to his shoulder.

"We're discussing that last comment later, Alice," he scolded me.

"We have to go, Jasper! You're parents are probably wondering what's going on," I said. With a sigh he consented and offered his arm to me. I smiled and took it as he led me out of the house.

In the front yard, a beautiful black carriage with gold trim awaited us. I could hardly believe my eyes.

"Ready?" Jasper asked me as the driver opened the door for us.

"As I'll ever be," I answered as we climbed into the carriage an sat on the bench opposite Dr. and Mrs. Cullen.

The ride to the dance was silent, but not uncomfortable. I was nervous, worried that I'd do something to mess up Jasper's title. I still couldn't believe that he'd asked me to accompany him.

When we pulled up to the dance and our driver let us out, I was more nervous than ever. My hands were practically shaking as Jasper led me into the dancehall.

"Alice, relax. Nothing is going to happen. Trust me?" He asked, flashing me one of his signature grins which I could not refuse.

"Of course," I answered, although not believing it fully myself.

The dancehall was packed with townsfolk. People were dancing around to the music provided by a few of the musically inclined members of town.

"We're going to go say hello to a few people. We'll meet up with you later, okay?" Dr. Cullen told Jasper.

"Of course," Jasper answered. "Come on, Alice, let's go dance." He took my hand in his and led me onto the crowded floor. He placed one of his hands on my waist and used his other hand to hold mine. I placed one of my hands on his shoulder as he started to slowly spin me around.

I looked around and spotted two familiar faces. Rose and Emmett were dancing nearby, completely wrapped up in their own little world. It was actually pretty cute to see. I saw a look on Rosalie's face as Emmett spun her around that I hadn't seen before. I shook my head as a smile crossed my lips. There was no doubt; my sister had fallen head-over-heels for this McCarty guy.

"What are you smiling about?" Jasper asked me curiously.

"Love," I said, returning my gaze to his.

He raised his eyebrows, begging for an explanation. "Do explain," he prompted.

"Rosalie and Emmett," I answered, pointing to the couple on the other side of the dance floor.

"Well, of course, them…" Jasper said, "but weren't you thinking about anyone else?"

"You think you're very sly, Mr. Whitlock," I accused.

He smirked and gave me a wink. "Of course, Darlin'." He paused, "I'm getting to be a little thirsty, would you like something to drink?"

"I think that'd be nice," I answered.

"Go sit at one of the tables and wait for me. I'll go get the drinks," he instructed. I nodded as he released me and we parted.

I walked to an empty table across the room. I took a seat in one of the side chairs where I could watch the dancers. It was getting warm in the dancehall and I was thankful that they'd left the door open so that the cool night breeze could blow in. I could feel the night air on my back as I watched the people still dancing.

I couldn't see Jasper from where I was seated, but it didn't bother me. I knew he'd find me once he'd gotten our drinks.

The song changed to an up-tempo number which seemed to delight the people dancing. Everything got crazy it seemed as the faster beat took over the slower one from earlier. The dancers changed styles to move faster. I tried to locate Rose and Emmett again, but I'd lost them in the craziness that had become the dance floor.

"Hello, Darlin'. Betcha missed me, huh?"

I swung around at the sound of that voice. I'd know it anywhere. James stood behind me grinning like a mad man. He made a quick grab for my arm and yanked me out of my chair.

"Why don'tcha dance with me?" He hissed into my ear, pulling me close to him. I shuddered against him and I could feel the grin spread across his face. "I always figured you liked it rough," he chuckled darkly.

"Let me go!" I cried out.

"Hell no," James seethed. "You're mine and it's about damn time you realize it. I'm going to do something I should've done a long time ago." He wrapped his arms around my waist and started to drag me towards the door.

"Let me go!" I repeated, twisting and turning in his arms. I was giving it my all, using all the strength I had to get out of his grasp.

"I believe she said to let her go." I turned my head and saw Dr. Cullen approaching us.

"Carlisle," I cried, happy to see someone intervening.

"Get back, Carlisle," James warned. I felt one of his hands leave my waist.

Carlisle raised his hands in a gentle motion before speaking in a calm voice that had the opposite effect on me. "Now let's not do that, James," Carlisle spoke.

I tried to look out of the corner of my eye at what James was doing. I heard a _click_ before his arm was wrapped around my neck.

"Get back, Carlisle," James said, "or she gets it."

I gasped as I felt the cool, sharp tip of James' pocket knife being pressed against the skin of my neck. _Oh God, not now_, I prayed.

"James, I wouldn't do that," Carlisle warned. "Put that knife away and let's talk through this, okay?"

"I'm sick of it!" James yelled. "She's mine, I have a contract!"

"Let's put the knife away, James," Carlisle repeated.

"Screw you," James seethed, "I'm getting out of here."

"The hell you are!" I stumbled forward as James was ripped away, his grip on me immediately gone.

Carlisle reached out and caught me before I could fall. He turned me away so I couldn't see what was happening.

But I knew.

**This chapter is dedicated to someone very close to me. He was my first fan and my first critic. He was the one who always encouraged me to write and only tried to help me improve. I would not have ever had the confidence to post any of my writings publicly had it not been for him. **

**And to all the readers I still have, THANK YOU! If you could leave me a little review to let me know that you're still with me, I'd appreciate it. I'm probably asking for too much…**

**The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off. Do not worry! I don't particularly like cliff-hangers myself.**

**Thanks again,  
Sammie'sgirl**


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